Self-quarantine at home in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic has given fans the perfect opportunity to binge The Mandalorian again and ironically, Disney is not the only one who benefits from this new surge of rewatches.
Since its premiere late last year, Jon Favreau’s new series has become the talk of every town. The Mandalorian had a lot to offer in terms of rich worldbuilding and deep characterization, but the single most talked-about thing in the entirety of season 1 was Mando’s cute sidekick, Baby Yoda. The creature, who’s canonically referred to as the Child, not only helped the show’s popularity but also proved to be a huge merchandising opportunity, with its respective toys selling out even before properly landing in the market.
Now, with Disney+ launching in countries like the UK, and people isolating themselves at home due to the recent novel coronavirus outbreak, the streaming service has seen a massive surge in subscribers. The Mandalorian, in particular, has received a lot of attention and as a result, Hasbro is enjoying a huge spike in sales of Baby Yoda-related toys.
In a new interview with Yahoo! Finance, Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner explained that the power of streaming has become a “force” in making connections with consumers and boosting merchandise sales, whilst maintaining that this has been especially true for the sci-fi series. It would appear that the toy company’s Baby Yoda pre-sales have been “incredibly robust” due to this new surge amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Of course, the entertainment industry has taken a massive hit due to the recent limitations. Additionally, most productions have shut down or postponed their premiere dates, but since the second season of The Mandalorian has already finished filming, the Mouse House might be able to continue riding on this success streak for years to come.
Tell us, though, are you excited about the next run of the hit show? As always, sound off with your opinions in the comments section below.
