Hot Wheels is debuting new toys at Star Wars Celebration 2017, including a car dedicated to X-wing pilot Biggs Darklighter. With Celebration just around the corner, fans are eager to find out just what the Disney-owned Lucasfilm has in store for the future of the franchise. In previous years, the studio has used this fan-gathering as a platform to launch trailers for upcoming movies and games as well as tie-in merchandise. Many are speculating that Disney will be unveiling a full trailer for Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi, at this year's Celebration.
Yet it's not all about the future. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the first Star Wars movie, and with that comes a hefty amount of nostalgia. Hot Wheels will be channelling that with a new line of Star Wars character cars, which will be debuting at the Celebration.
Yahoo Movies has revealed the range of Hot Wheels merchandise, including a die-cast metal car dedicated to Rebel ace Biggs Darklighter, after the character was selected by fan vote during 2016's Star Wars Celebration. It not only features the distinctive orange of the X-wing pilot's uniform, but forefronts his iconic moustache on the grill of the car. Hot Wheels will also be releasing character cars for Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Darth Vader, as well as a range of carships, and starships which come with flight stands for display. All of these will be packaged in commemorative 40th anniversary packaging, and the Biggs car will cost $10, while the others will set you back just $3.99 apiece.
Star Wars has always had an enormous merchandising presence, with crossovers and sponsorship deals covering everything from charitable organisations to batteries. Hot Wheels have been one of those companies creating tie-in Star Wars products for years, rendering characters and ships as highly-stylized cars, and often creating race tracks dedicated to some of the franchise's iconic moments.
The Hot Wheels merchandise is just one of many tie-ins that's been revealed ahead of this year's Star Wars Celebration. A new and incredibly detailed Hot Toys variation of Rogue One's Jyn Erso has been unveiled following the critically acclaimed anthology movie's domestic release. Hasbro will also be debuting the latest in their stunning Black Series of Star Wars figures, a $60 figurine of Rey and her speeder from The Force Awakens. Gamers were also treated to a brief look at Dice's upcoming Star Wars: Battlefront II (which released ahead of schedule), exciting fans with a glimpse of every era in the franchise's history.
While these considerable merchandising efforts show that Disney and Lucasfilm are truly capitalizing on the lucrative hype of the Star Wars Celebration, they've also dedicated a range of new merchandise entirely to their charitable initiative Force for Change; showing how the franchise's impact goes well beyond toys and escapism.
Star Wars Celebration begins on April 13th. We'll keep you updated with any further Star Wars news as Celebration gets underway.
Source: Yahoo Movies