Demand for Star Wars: The Last Jedi toys heavily down from The Force Awakens

Sounds like there won’t be many Supreme Leader Snoke plushies under the tree this year.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, analysts reckon that demand for toys tied into new Star Wars movie The Last Jedi has taken a nose dive.

Data company Panjiva, which tracks the number of shipping containers and their contents arriving in ports in the US, reports that the number of containers coming in over the last seven months filled with The Last Jedi merchandise is 6,587.

With most of the containers – nearly 80 percent – coming from China where the toys are manufactured, they are then distributed to retailers like Amazon and Walmart.

Though that may seem a sturdy figure, it’s down 56 percent from the same period ahead of the release of The Force Awakens, and 47 percent down from the release of Rogue One last Christmas.

It’s thought that the recent bankruptcy of toy chain Toys R Us may be part of the problem, a blow which has had widespread repercussions on the toy retail business.

Panjiva reckons that retailers are in the process of working out ‘what the steady state’ of Star Wars merchandise is, and what is likely to sell well.

Seemingly Stormtrooper actions figures will continue to sell well, as will Star Wars Lego kits.

But according to THR, Disney’s toy business suffered a 12 percent decline in business to $373 million in the last quarter, after Cars 3 failed to sell enough merchandise.

Panjiva analyst Chris Rogers said: “Merchandise is falling back, but it doesn’t mean Disney won’t make a killing.”

Indeed. The box office take is already at $536 million worldwide, with China’s contribution yet to come.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is out now across the UK.

Read more
Meryl Streep targeted in sinister poster campaign
T.J. Miller accused of sexual assault
Movies you may have missed in 2017