Kathleen Kennedy survives!

[Immortal Weapon]

Or he didn't mention her because he wasn't asked? I don't understand this desire to read into things.

Iger mentioned people by name in his interview. Kennedy wasn't one of them. Judging from what he said he'll be more involved going forward.

Not surprising at all indeed.

Cause well, let's imagine they do fire her. But then, for what exactly? Cause some weirdos are crying on youtube? Sure, the last Jedi made less money that episode 7 but still, no one in his right mind would call it a financial failure and to blame just her for how disappointing, poorly written and awkwardly executed it was is simply not fair. And really, that would just be a PR disaster.

From what I understand, the sales of Last Jedi merch were in the toilet. That's not good for your cash cow franchise.

[Carabas]

From what I understand, the sales of Last Jedi merch were in the toilet.

Toys-R-Us being gone is a not insignificant factor here.

[Immortal Weapon]

Toys-R-Us being gone is a not insignificant factor here.

Toys R Us was still around when the Last Jedi hit theaters and didn't close down until June. The toys weren't flying off the shelves in places like Target and Walmart

[SuperiorIronman]

You gotta recognize the market and how it was saturated in Star Wars.
The Force Awakens followed a 10 year hiatus barring the TV pilot that hit theaters. The release of Episode 7 was a big deal for fans, consumers, and retailers. There is going to be drop off as time goes on as the consumer base becomes re-acquainted with the product. The more common it is, the less imperative it will be for the customers to seek it out.

You also have Star Wars products in succession, and that will deter customers as brands don't know yet where the money is. Is Poe a big seller? Is Kylo Ren a big seller? Is Jyn Erso? We don't know out of the gate as while consumer testing can provide an idea, it is not the end all be all as it pertains to actual sales. The problem with action figures sales is that this is made well over a year in advance and also cannot account for a shifting market as readily as other brands. Also problematic is that it must compete against itself. Some families do indeed have to choose between Krennic and Darth Vader.

Also take into account the convenience of purchase. It's easier to buy online than going out to a store in search of a product that may not be there. Online sales is just something we don't have data for nor do we have actual data beyond "it's still on my local Rite-aid's rack". We have no hard sales numbers beyond small glimpses.

But what we do have is regret from Hasbro in releasing too early which factors back into what I said about acquainting with the customer. Once it becomes common place and that sales boon happens, you wont get it back. The customer is now acquainted with it and outside of an offhand purchase or the online sale, they are not going to go out of their way for it.

Keep of note that a major retailer was also going out of business and couldn't sustain itself. Chapter 7 means selling off assets so while Toys R us was dying it was cutting off faltering assets which can't sell your product on it's way to Chapter 11. Nobody views Target or Walmart as a toy store either and so your left with them and other chains to pick up the pace.

All in all, Hasbro made a blunder trying to replicate the success of TFA sales and didn't think about why that happened in the first place.

[Gray Lensman]

Toys R Us was still around when the Last Jedi hit theaters and didn't close down until June. The toys weren't flying off the shelves in places like Target and Walmart

When all the hero equipment basically gets unceremoniously blown up without doing anything it doesn't exactly inspire the imagination.

[Bunai]

How unfortunate for the franchise.

[thwhtGuardian]

How unfortunate for the franchise.

Why? With two cartoons upcoming, an upcoming live action TV show and more live action films slated for the near future the franchise is probably reaching more people and making more money than it ever did before.

[Moon Ronin]

Keep of note that a major retailer was also going out of business and couldn't sustain itself. Chapter 7 means selling off assets so while Toys R us was dying it was cutting off faltering assets which can't sell your product on it's way to Chapter 11. Nobody views Target or Walmart as a toy store either and so your left with them and other chains to pick up the pace.

All in all, Hasbro made a blunder trying to replicate the success of TFA sales and didn't think about why that happened in the first place.

Toy r Us has not been able to keep pace with Walmart since 1998 when it became the largest toy seller in the United States. Walmart, Target and Amazon individually were all selling way more than Toy r Us, it was their choice to go private and gain a huge amount of debt that kept them from being able to compete in a growing market. The pace was set way before Toys r Us dropped out of the race.

The was really no real merch opportunity in TLJ for Hasbro to work with as compared to past instalments. Empire had, Hoth, Dagobah, and Cloud City; Jedi with, Jabba's palace, Endor; So you had three or 4 Lukes to pull from and so on. TFA and Rouge One had an all new cast so they went off the shelf. The TLJ had pretty much the same Rey, Ren, Finn, and Poe as there was in the TFA and those that were added like Rose and Holdo were not as well received as say Lando and Yoda in Empire. It really had nothing to do with market saturation, as SW merch has been selling pretty steady since the mid 1990s, (I know, been buying and selling it) it's that TLJ was not real merch friendly.

[Pinsir]

I don't think toy sales as a whole have grown since the 90's if you are just focusing on conventional toys. The Lego company nearly went bankrupt in the 90's basically because of Pokemon and was only saved because they started producing licensed material like Star Wars sets which attracted an adult audience. Nowadays Zoomers would rather spend a thousand hours on Fortnite than buy a 60$ set.

[Moon Ronin]

I don't think toy sales as a whole have grown since the 90's if you are just focusing on conventional toys. The Lego company nearly went bankrupt in the 90's basically because of Pokemon and was only saved because they started producing licensed material like Star Wars sets which attracted an adult audience. Nowadays Zoomers would rather spend a thousand hours on Fortnite than buy a 60$ set.

Very true, kids don't buy toys any more. One, They are getting expensive 20+ for an action figure. And Two, with the advance in electronics you hit the nail on the head and 8 year old would rather get a new skin for a game than a new toy. The toy market is mainly now for collectors and very small children, its how the market moves.

[ChrisIII]

Toy r Us has not been able to keep pace with Walmart since 1998 when it became the largest toy seller in the United States. Walmart, Target and Amazon individually were all selling way more than Toy r Us, it was their choice to go private and gain a huge amount of debt that kept them from being able to compete in a growing market. The pace was set way before Toys r Us dropped out of the race.

The was really no real merch opportunity in TLJ for Hasbro to work with as compared to past instalments. Empire had, Hoth, Dagobah, and Cloud City; Jedi with, Jabba's palace, Endor; So you had three or 4 Lukes to pull from and so on. TFA and Rouge One had an all new cast so they went off the shelf. The TLJ had pretty much the same Rey, Ren, Finn, and Poe as there was in the TFA and those that were added like Rose and Holdo were not as well received as say Lando and Yoda in Empire. It really had nothing to do with market saturation, as SW merch has been selling pretty steady since the mid 1990s, (I know, been buying and selling it) it's that TLJ was not real merch friendly.

The film did have a somewhat greater variety of ships however, although apart from the A-wing and TIE silencer they didn't seem to make a lot. (No walkers or bombers, the capital ships are understandable as they're quite big and work best as minatures; although Hasbro did briefly experiment with a 'ships line' similar to the one Star Trek did at the time with a Star Destroyer, Super Star Destroyer which is super-rare and a Corellian corvette/blockade runner).

They also didn't add much stormtrooper variations either, just those executioner types and (sort of) the guards. Rogue One had some Stormtrooper variety though, and there were of course four different TFA types (Regular, Snow, flame and Phasma). Stormtroopers I and Clonetroopers I think are usually pretty big sellers, ROTS was pretty much crawling with about a billion different types of Clones.

[Bunai]

Why? With two cartoons upcoming, an upcoming live action TV show and more live action films slated for the near future the franchise is probably reaching more people and making more money than it ever did before.

Because under her and her story-group there hasn't been any direction with the franchise. They are coasting on the name "Star Wars" instead of steering the ship to the right place.

[Gray Lensman]

The film did have a somewhat greater variety of ships however, although apart from the A-wing and TIE silencer they didn't seem to make a lot. (No walkers or bombers, the capital ships are understandable as they're quite big and work best as minatures; although Hasbro did briefly experiment with a 'ships line' similar to the one Star Trek did at the time with a Star Destroyer, Super Star Destroyer which is super-rare and a Corellian corvette/blockade runner).

They also didn't add much stormtrooper variations either, just those executioner types and (sort of) the guards. Rogue One had some Stormtrooper variety though, and there were of course four different TFA types (Regular, Snow, flame and Phasma). Stormtroopers I and Clonetroopers I think are usually pretty big sellers, ROTS was pretty much crawling with about a billion different types of Clones.

I still think the fact that none of the hero vehicles managed to do anything hurt toy sales. When I was a kid the figure or vehicle for the guy who got blown up without having done anything was what you flashed angry looks at your parents for giving you as a gift, and then became what you handed to that relative or neighbor you were forced to play with.

[Carabas]

Because under her and her story-group there hasn't been any direction with the franchise. They are coasting on the name "Star Wars" instead of steering the ship to the right place.

Seems to me there is tons more direction than back when Lucas was doing this. You just do not like the direction is all.

[ChrisIII]

I still think the fact that none of the hero vehicles managed to do anything hurt toy sales. When I was a kid the figure or vehicle for the guy who got blown up without having done anything was what you flashed angry looks at your parents for giving you as a gift, and then became what you handed to that relative or neighbor you were forced to play with.

Yeah, and the one ship that arguably did have a good scene (Poe's black X-wing, which had a booster added) is destroyed fairly early in the movie too.