Action Figures Continue Their Decline

Since 2009, the reduced power of movies to move sales of action figures and other factors have caused a decline in the sales of action figures, from around $1.6 billion per year to an estimated $1.2 billion in 2013. 

A report from TD Monthly lists a number of factors that may have contributed to this decline. One of them may be the increasing number of movies with action figures lines. As the number of such films increases, they may be cannibalizing action figures sales from each other.

Another factor may be the increase in movie streaming. The report mentions a correlation between the decline in movie attendance by kids and the increase in home streaming of movies. It may be that while the same number of people are seeing the movies, they may be viewing them at times that do not match the release of the associated action figures.

Finally, Disney's recent foray into the action figures market and the growth of its Skylanders toys have also been a factor. In 2013, Skylanders accounted for about $500 million in sales. That is more than the decline in action figures sales in the past four years.

Star Wars Rebels: The Rebellion Begins

When the popular series Star Wars: The Clone Wars was cancelled, recent LucasFilm purchaser Walt Disney Co. ("Disney") promised a new Star Wars animated series that would be set in an era as of yet unexplored by any previous Star Wars movie or TV series. Star Wars Rebels is Disney's attempt at fulfilling that promise.

Today, Disney announced that it had already commenced work on the upcoming new animated series Star Wars Rebels.  The new series will be set in the 20-year period between Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.  This is the time when dread sith lord Darth Sidious ruled the Empire and his efforts were focused on securing the Empire's iron grip on the galaxy by hunting down the remaining Jedi knights.  This also the time when a fledgling rebellion against the Empire was born and began to take shape.

Simon Kinberg (X-Men First Class, Sherlock Homes, Mr. and Mrs. Smith) is writing the first episode and is also consulting on the new live action Star Wars movies.  He is also co-executive producer of Star Wars Rebels, along with Dave Filoni (supervising director Star Wars: The Clone Wars) and Greg Weisman (Gargoyles, Young Justice, The Spectacular Spider-Man).

Star Wars Rebels will be produced by a team from LucasFilm Animation formed by many of the talents that made Star Wars: The Clone Wars.  Among them are former design lead and now art director Killian Plunket; and Joel Aron, CG Supervisor for the Clone Wars series who will also be CG Supervisor for Rebels.

The 1-hour premiere of Star Wars Rebels will be in fall 2004 in the Disney Channel.  It will be followed by a regular half-hour animated series on the Disney XD channel.