While Baby Yoda may have won over hearts around the world last year, some reports say that the ongoing spread of the much-talked-about coronavirus could cause unfortunate delays for the little guy’s upcoming toy line.
In order to preserve the surprise of The Mandalorian‘s appearance of The Child (whom we all still refuse to call anything but Baby Yoda), Disney made a conscious decision to hold off on merchandising for the hit show. Doing so, however, may have unfortunate repercussions as the deadly COVID-19 coronavirus continues to spread worldwide, disrupting supply chains and delaying products for many major manufacturers. One such manufacturer, Hasbro, is among those suffering from these delays, leading analysts to predict that at least some of the Baby Yoda toy lines could be delayed indefinitely.
After originating in Wuhan, China, the coronavirus has since spread globally to infect over 90,000 people, including around 100 confirmed cases in the United States. Though 80% of the known cases have been mild, the virus has still killed over 3,000 people since showing up late last year. Officials can’t accurately predict what the future holds, but if some health experts are to be trusted, the epidemic appears to be slowing down gradually. Meanwhile, the FDA has stated that a vaccine could still be a long ways out, but drugs to treat infected patients could come sooner.
Some of the upcoming Baby Yoda toys arriving for fans this year include a Funko Pop! vinyl figure and a super adorable plushie. Whether the coronavirus will actually impact the release of any of Disney’s products is yet to be confirmed, but it certainly hasn’t stopped the company from actively searching out bootleg Baby Yoda merchandise and issuing takedown notices.
Season 2 of The Mandalorian will launch exclusively on Disney+ on October 20th.
