Tomorrow will see the finale of Disney Plus’ The Mandalorian. And even without having seen that final episode, I think it’s safe to say the show has been a wild success. It’s been critically acclaimed, praised by fans and looks even better when contrasted with the disappointing mess that was Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
One element that’s been particularly well-received is, of course, Baby Yoda (officially known as The Child). The pint-sized puppet has become a global phenomenon, albeit one with practically no merchandising available for the holiday season. That’s had fans (and no doubt Disney’s merchandising department) gnashing their teeth with frustration. But fear not, for soon you’ll be able to buy Baby Yoda merch that’s not crappy T-shirts or phone cases, as Disney has unveiled a new 11-inch $24.99 Baby Yoda plush that’s “expected to be available by March 9th, 2020.”
This will make it the first official Baby Yoda plush toy on the market, beating the Mattel version by a month and the Hasbro one by two months. Disney’s own version has a slightly different look to what’s already been announced, too, going with a more fuzzy appearance than the ones with vinyl head and hands. Previous toys have sold out fairly quickly, so if you desperately want this, you may need to pre-order.
But while Baby Yoda merchandise is selling out now, there has to be a lingering worry at Disney that they’ve missed out on the big bucks over Christmas. Baby Yoda‘s popularity isn’t going to dissipate overnight, but a toy like this could have been the must-have item of the holiday season. While the studio has big plans for The Child going forward, there’s still a worry that this first burst of popularity might be as good as it gets. As such, don’t expect them to drop the ball like this again in the future.