ENTERTAINMENT NEWS - Toys and accessories linked to the movie, which is also making waves for its strong black female leading roles, have the potential to become an enduring presence in stores, like Spider-Man and other iconic figures, company executives say.
Toy tie-ins are a crucial profit driver for movie studios, even if each merchandise opportunity is not massively successful, experts say.
“It is a huge opportunity,” John Frascotti, president of US toy giant Hasbro, told AFP on the sidelines of the giant Toy Fair trade show in New York.
“We’re still in the early days of this, but it certainly has all the indications that it could be over time as successful” as other major franchises in terms of staying power, he said.
The movie pulled in an impressive $242 million in its opening weekend, a record for this time of year following strong reviews.
“It’s just surpassed expectations,” said Mark Robben, marketing director for Funko, which sells Black Panther bobble heads, plush dolls and fashion.
“It’s an important movie culturally,” Robben said. “That is then translated into people wanting to own a piece of it for their desk or for a t-shirt they’re wearing.”
The film has generated huge enthusiasm within the black community, but also more broadly — many see the strong opening weekend as a sign that audiences will embrace heroes that don’t fit the cookie cutter model if the story is well told.
“I think it’s filling a void, it’s serving a need and it will sell accordingly, and not just with African Americans,” said Kimberly Mosley, president of the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association.
People “are looking for a hero,” she said.
