Bring ‘Rogue One’ home before the movie arrives
Star Wars fans, get ready to go rogue on your local toy shelves.
Just like every other movie in the long-running sci-fi saga, the release of Rogue One: A Star Wars
Story (in theaters Dec. 16) means the launch of a swath of new merchandise featuring fresh heroes, villains and spaceships. With stuff coming from Hasbro, Lego, Mattel and other companies, fans can start preordering their swag Friday before products hit stores worldwide Sept. 30.
Here’s a first look at some of the galactic characters and vehicles you’re going to want: JYN ERSO AND THE REBELS Rogue One is set before the first Star Wars film in 1977, in which Luke Skywalker and the good guys destroyed the Empire’s Death Star, and Felicity Jones’ heroine Jyn Erso heads up the Rebel crew on the mission to steal the plans that will ultimately take down the destructive space station. Jyn is getting a 6-inch Black Series action figure ($19.99), plus a cute building- block counterpart as part of a U-Wing Fighter Lego set ($79.99) with fellow heroes such as Cassian Andor (played by Diego Luna). Cassian also gets a die-cast action figure available only at the Disney Store ($26.95). THE EMPIRE Darth Vader is in this movie, so you know he’ll be part of the merchandising plan at some point. There are new antagonistic personalities, too: Ben Mendelsohn’s villainous Director Orson Krennic, the guy in charge of delivering the Death Star on time to the Emperor, will be a part of the Funko Pop vinyl figure line ($9.99). His intimidating crew of blacktinged Death Troopers will no doubt be popular with fans, who have a choice of Black Series Death Troopers ($19.99) or die-cast Disney Store Death Troopers ($26.95). And oldschool Star Wars lovers get a familiar face — or more specifically, helmet — with the 20-inch Jakks BigFigs Stormtrooper ($19.99). STARSHIPS A couple of vintage vehicles of yore are seen in new ways thanks to a new Hot Wheels lineup: A two-pack ($9.99) includes a TIE Striker, a more aerodynamic version of the familiar TIE Fighters from the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as a Rebel X-Wing Fighter. There’s also a die-cast AT-ACT ($4.99) — short for All-Terrain All-Cargo Transport — that’s a spiffy new take on the AT-AT from The Empire Strikes Back. Those yearning for something different, though, can grab the Lego Imperial Hovertank set ($29.99) with two Imperial pilot minifigures, plus Donnie Yen’s blind warrior Chirrut Îmwe.