Disney got a lot of things right with The Mandalorian. Despite being shot with a TV budget, the show’s practical effects look exactly like what Star Wars fans have come to expect, and the program’s adventure-of-the-week format allows it to explore the galaxy far, far away’s many nooks and crannies without ever becoming exhausting.
Unfortunately, one opportunity Disney didn’t see coming at release was just how popular the show’s Baby Yoda, known officially as “the Child” (for now), character would be. The house of mouse was famously slow to release official merchandise of the character during the first few weeks of the internet’s obsession with the little green gremlin, leaving fan products to scrap up most of the early revenue.
Now, however, Disney is striking back with Baby Yoda merchandise of its own, including a soon-to-be-released plush coming to Build-A-Bear workshops later this spring.
Build a Bear Baby Yoda will be coming in the next few months
Via business insider #TheMandalorian pic.twitter.com/gJHnVmOCR7
— Acing Entertainment (@U_S_Ace) January 14, 2020
According to Business Insider, Build-A-Bear CEO Sharon Price John first revealed the partnership at Orlando’s ICR Conference earlier this week, telling a crowd of reporters and investors “I’m excited to share we will be one of the first companies to provide the digital and internet phenomenon who is trending higher than all the presidential candidates combined.” Holding up a prototype of the plush for all to see, she continued “We now will have The Child, also known as Baby Yoda.”
John then explained that, despite not being ready for release, Build-A-Bear and Lucasfilm started the process of making a Baby Yoda plush “almost with the first episode,” and reassured the audience that the unnamed charmer would be available at Build-A-Bear workshops in the next few months, beating out the long pre-order waits for many other official products.
Photo Credit: Lucasfilm Ltd.
Unfortunately, we don’t have a hard release date as of yet, nor do we know how much of the brand’s trademark customizability will be available with its Baby Yoda plush. What we do know is that the company is planning the product for all-ages, not just children.
Closing her remarks, John reminded her audience of the importance of partnerships to Build-A-Bear’s business, and said that though much of its products have historically been aimed at children, almost half of its sales now are for items intended for teens and adults, many of whom focus on buying Build-A-Bear partner products using the brand’s online storefront.
Hopefully, the Baby Yoda plush will also be cheaper than the real Baby Yoda puppet, which purportedly cost five million according to the Mandalorian cast member who had to punch it, very cautiously, in the first season’s finale.
More on Geek.com:
- Taika Waititi and Jon Favreau on Baby Yoda’s Name, Identity
- Who Adores Baby Yoda the Most in the US?
- Thousands of Star Wars Fans Sign Petition for Baby Yoda Emoji
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