Interviewing Action Figure Insider: Star Wars Toys Slowing Down

I recently interviewed Julius from ActionFigureInsider.com, a top toy news source. Julius is the founder and brains behind AFI, as well as a super cool guy, and very intelligent toy reporter. We did a crossover podcast recording for my DC Collecticast show and then segued into Star Wars for my Update: Nerd Style pod. Less than twenty-four hours after the Rise of Skywalker final trailer dropped, I thought it would be good timing to bring up the new footage in reference to SW toys.

BD: What do you think the Rise of Skywalker trailer tells us about the Star Wars toys we’re going to see? Watching the trailer from your perspective, what do you see as a toy man in terms of potential for toys? Specifically, what toys do you predict we will get from the new film?

AFI: We’re in kind of an interesting time right now with Star Wars because sales have slowed down. I know there’s a lot of talk right now, a lot of people grousing about Disney and stuff like that. But, sales for Star Wars have been soft, and it’s been affecting some companies.

AFI (continued): Some people think it’s because of what Disney is doing, some people think it’s because of design choices. Some people think it’s because of the kind of concept that Disney reintroduced was: there’s going to be a new Star Wars movie every year now. I know they pulled their schedule a little bit now, but their initial announcement was like: Oh, Star Wars will outlive you!

Midnight Madness for “Phantom Menace” (May 1999)

AFI (continued): So, it used to be such a crazy event; especially as a kid who saw the original Star Wars in theaters, and has seen every one of them on opening day from Empire Strikes Back on. I’ve been to all the Midnight Madness things that they’ve done since Episode I on. It’s always been a big thing! But, for me personally, because of this new schedule, we don’t get to see as much depth of character. Sort of like, they get so far in the lineup, and then it’s time for the next movie to come out.

AFI (continued): They don’t really go back, and get the other people. That was what I loved about the original Kenner line, was that you got all the heroes in every iteration of the costume, but also like bonkers aliens and weird droids, and just all this stuff that filled out that universe. But now, you’re just kind of hitting those high points. And, the design of it has been a little frustrating to me personally as a Star Wars fan, because it’s felt like, with the exception of Solo, that everything that’s come out in the past couple years has just been humans wearing brown clothes.

“Last Jedi” Luke Skywalker Action Figure

BD: Yea, @toyshiz and I were talking about this. He made a good point. And, I didn’t think of that. It does seem like Star Wars started to slow down a bit. Like, Force Awakens, there was this huge thing and then it just weirdly–even though they’re pumping out all these movies like you said. Yea, I didn’t think of that: so many humans!

“Rogue One” Jyn Erso Action Figure
“Force Awakens” Rey Action Figure

Check out my recent piece right here at C506 with @toyshiz on Instagram, the social media toy store reporting master. In that particular piece, we cover DC action figure reveals, but there is some Star Wars crossover content now posted in audio to my Update: Nerd Style podcast that I mentioned before. As I said in today’s interview with AFI, Toyshiz brought up very similar points about the state of the Star Wars universe cinematically, and how its slowing effect on toy sales.

Again, stay tuned to both DC Collecticast and Update: Nerd Style pod for the full audio interview with AFI, including today’s talk above. And, follow AFI for ALL the toy news action one could desire! Also, much more writing will come out of my talks with Julius, so stay tuned for more here  at C506.

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