Hasbro Star Wars & Indiana Jones Panel Announcements & Exclusive Interview from Star Wars Celebration Europe

By George Bate & Josh Reilly B.

Hasbro recently held a panel at Star Wars Celebration Europe 2023 spotlighting a number of exciting product releases in the worlds of Star Wars and Indiana Jones. At the panel and during an exclusive interview with The HoloFiles, members of the Hasbro team, including Global Marketing Director, Star Wars and Indiana Jones Patrick Schneider and product designer Chris Reiff, shared details about what’s in store for Hasbro’s collaborations with Lucasfilm’s powerhouse franchises.

***THE MANDALORIAN, AHSOKA, & THE BOOK OF BOBA FETT***

Chatter Back Chopper Animatronic from Ahsoka

Aligned with the snappy droid’s upcoming live-action debut in the Ahsoka series, Hasbro will soon deliver a 7.5-inch animatronic edition of the fan-favorite Chopper. The new animatronic features more than 40 sound and movement combinations that evoke the droid’s sassy personality. And this Chopper responds to background noises, such as talking or music!

Chatter Back Chopper Animatronic is available for pre-order on April 11 at 1pm ET at Hasbro Pulse.

The Vintage Collection: The Mandalorian’s N-1 Starfighter

Mando’s modified Naboo N-1 Starfighter is coming soon to the 3.75-inch scale Vintage Collection. With packaging inspired by original Kenner branding, the new release features the vehicle itself, a Din Djarin figure, a Grogu figure, droid sockets, 2 stands, and 5 entertainment-inspired accessories.

In an exclusive interview with The HoloFiles, product designer Chris Reiff pointed out that the N-1 Starfighter is his favorite reveal from the Star Wars Celebration panel. “The moment we saw that thing on screen I think we all said, ‘Okay, when are we starting it?’ It’s a deep-dive for all of my little detailed passions.” Reiff also confirmed that they designed the N-1 Starfighter to be compatible with other products, including R5.

The Vintage Collection: The Mandalorian’s N-1 Starfighter is available to pre-order on April 11 at 1pm ET at Hasbro Pulse.

The Black Series: Ahsoka’s Clone Trooper Premium Electronic Helmet

Take home the helmet of a 501st Clone Trooper who pledged their loyalty to Ahsoka Tano during the Siege of Mandalore. The premium helmet is extraordinarily detailed and includes a voice distortion device that makes the wearer’s voice sound like a Clone Trooper.

The Black Series: Ahsoka’s Clone Trooper Premium Electronic Helmet is available to pre-order on April 11 at 1pm ET at Hasbro Pulse.

The Black Series: Cad Bane

Fans can take home a fully articulated figure based on Cad Bane’s live-action debut in The Book of Boba Fett.

The Black Series: Cad Bane is available to pre-order on April 11 at 1pm ET at Hasbro Pulse.

The Vintage Collection: Krrsantan

The former gladiator champion turned infamous bounty hunter Krrsantan, who made his debut in Star Wars comics, receives his very own Vintage Collection figure soon.

The Vintage Collection: Krrsantan is available to pre-order on April 11 at 1pm ET at Hasbro Pulse.

40th ANNIVERSARY OF RETURN OF THE JEDI

Monopoly: Return of the Jedi Edition

Every version of Star Wars monopoly proves to be a brilliant time for Star Wars fans, and the upcoming Return of the Jedi-inspired game looks to be no exception. Some of the locations on the board include Tatooine, Dagobah, Endor, and Death Star II. The Return of the Jedi Monopoly includes gameboard, 6 character tokens, 6 Character Power cards, 28 Title Deed cards, 16 Rebel Alliance cards, 16 Galactic Empire cards, 32 Speeder Bikes, 12 X-Wings, 2 dice (1 numbered die, 1 Rebel die), money pack, and game guide.

Monopoly: Return of the Jedi is available May 4th exclusively on Amazon.

The Vintage Collection: Jabba’s Court Denizens

Celebrate the 40th anniversary of the conclusion of the original trilogy with this exciting multipack featuring four figures from Jabba the Hutt’s palace and five entertainment-inspired accessories.

Global Marketing Director, Star Wars and Indiana Jones Patrick Schneider pointed out this Vintage Collection of Jabba’s court denizens as his favorite of the upcoming release. “It’s amazing. It’s obviously some figures the community has really wanted and they turned out great

The Vintage Collection: Jabba’s Court Denizens is available to pre-order on April 11 at 1pm ET at Hasbro Pulse.

The Vintage Collection: Moff Jerjerrod

One of the more understated Imperial figures in the original trilogy receives his very own premium 3.75-inch scale figure.

The Vintage Collection: Moff Jerjerrod is available to pre-order on April 11 at 1pm ET at Hasbro Pulse.

The Vintage Collection: Nien Nunb

Fan favorite Nien Nunb returns as a premium figure branded with Kenner-inspired packaging.

The Vintage Collection: Nien Nunb is available to pre-order on April 11 at 1pm ET at Hasbro Pulse.

The Black Series: Jabba the Hutt & Salacious B. Crumb

The larger-than-life gangster and his creepy sidekick receive the Black Series treatment with this new release of 6-inch scale figures.

The Black Series: Jabba the Hutt & Salacious B. Crumb is available to pre-order on April 11 at 1pm ET at Hasbro Pulse.

The Black Series: R2-D2

Featuring multiple points of articulation and periscope, in addition to antenna and arm accessories, R2-D2 has never looked so good.

The Black Series: R2-D2 is available to pre-order on April 11 at 1pm ET at Hasbro Pulse.

The Black Series: Darth Vader

Arguably Vader’s best look comes from Return of the Jedi, meaning this new Black Series is a must-buy. The figure comes with a detachable helmet as well.

The Black Series: Darth Vader is available to pre-order on April 11 at 1pm ET at Hasbro Pulse.

The Black Series: Emperor’s Royal Guard

Shining in beautiful red, the Emperor’s Royal Guard also receive the Black Series treatment from Hasbro.

The Black Series: Emperor’s Royal Guard is available to pre-order on April 11 at 1pm ET at Hasbro Pulse.

The Black Series: Force Spirits

The Force Ghosts of Hayden Christensen’s Anakin Skywalker, Ben Kenobi, and Yoda come to life with this new Black Series collection. As seen in the picture below, this Black Series touchingly works with Black Series Luke and Leia figures (sold separately).

The Black Series: Force Spirits is available to pre-order on April 11 at 1pm ET at Hasbro Pulse.

The Black Series: Luke Skywalker (Jedi Knight)

Inspired by Luke’s stunning look in Episode Vi, this new Black Series is a figure featuring multiple points of articulation that can be used to nicely recreate Return of the Jedi’s ending (as seen above).

The Black Series: Luke Skywalker (Jedi Knight) is available to pre-order on April 11 at 1pm ET at Hasbro Pulse.

THE BAD BATCH

The Black Series: Hunter (Mercenary Gear)

Sporting his new look from Season 2, this new Black Series figure provides a stunning look at the leader of the Bad Batch. Featuring premium detail, multiple points of articulation, and a removable helmet, Hunter will be a welcomed addition to fans’ collections.

The Black Series: Hunter (Mercenary Gear) is available to pre-order on May 4 at 1pm ET exclusively at Walmart.

The Black Series: Omega (Mercenary Gear)

Omega received a great new look in Season 2, which is beautifully on display with this new Black Series figure.

The Black Series: Omega (Mercenary Gear) is available to pre-order on May 4 at 1pm ET exclusively at Walmart.

The Black Series: Wrecker (Mercenary Gear)

The resident strong man and demolitions expert of Clone Force 99 also receives his very own Black Series figure.

The Black Series: Wrecker (Mercenary Gear) is available to pre-order on May 4 at 1pm ET exclusively at Walmart.

The Black Series: Echo (Mercenary Gear)

Echo’s Black Series figure features incredible detail of the character’s socket-arm and cybernetic implants.

The Black Series: Echo (Mercenary Gear) is available to pre-order on May 4 at 1pm ET exclusively at Walmart.

The Black Series: Tech (Mercenary Gear)

This may be a sensitive topic for some fans (check out our SPOILER REVIEW of The Bad Batch Season 2 finale here).

The Black Series: Tech (Mercenary Gear) is available to pre-order on May 4 at 1pm ET exclusively at Walmart.

The Black Series: Clone Commando

Originating from the classic video game Star Wars: Republic Commando, this new figure is inspired by the canon-version of the sleek looking special Clone Troopers seen in The Bad Batch Season 2.

The Black Series: Clone Commando is available to pre-order on May 4 at 1pm ET exclusively at Walmart.

INDIANA JONES

It wasn’t just Star Wars that featured heavily during the Hasbro panel. With the release of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny coming up this June, Hasbro revealed a number of releases featuring everyone’s favorite fedora-wearing, whip-wielding professor/treasure hunter.

Indiana Jones Adventure Series: Indiana Jones – The Dial of Destiny

The Indiana Jones Adventure Series appears to be the Indiana Jones equivalent of Star Wars’ The Vintage Collection. This new figure features Indiana Jones in his latest appearance, and includes a Build an Artifact piece that fans can collect to build the Skull Temple.

Indiana Jones Adventure Series: Indiana Jones – The Dial of Destiny is available to pre-order April 13th at 1pm ET on Hasbro Pulse and participating retailers.

Indiana Jones Adventure Series: Helena Shaw – The Dial of Destiny

Phoebe Waller-Bridge will play Indy’s goddaughter in the new film, and also receives a figure in the Indiana Jones Adventure Series.

Indiana Jones Adventure Series: Helena Shaw – The Dial of Destiny is available to pre-order April 13th at 1pm ET on Hasbro Pulse and participating retailers.

Indiana Jones Adventure Series: Indiana Jones (Temple Escape) from Raiders of the Lost Ark

Take home a version of Indiana Jones from the character’s very first appearance.

Indiana Jones Adventure Series: Indiana Jones (Temple Escape) is available to pre-order April 13th at 1pm ET on Hasbro Pulse and ShopDisney.

Indiana Jones Adventure Series: Indiana Jones (Cairo) from Raiders of the Lost Ark

This figure is designed to look like Indy from Raiders of the Lost Ark, and includes a detachable pistol, whip, coiled whip, satchel, and monkey accessories.

Indiana Jones Adventure Series: Indiana Jones (Cairo) is available to pre-order April 13th at 1pm ET on Amazon and Fan Channel retailers.

Indiana Jones Adventure Series: Marcus Brody & Rene Belloq (Ark Showdown) from Raiders of the Lost Ark

This two-pack features the characters played by Denholm Elliot and Paul Freeman.

Indiana Jones Adventure Series: Marcus Brody & Rene Belloq (Ark Showdown) is available to pre-order April 13th at 1pm ET on Amazon and Fan Channels.

Indiana Jones Adventure Series: Indiana Jones (Temple of Doom)

Fans of the second Indiana Jones outing can rejoice with this new Adventure Series version of Indy from Temple of Doom. This also includes a Build An Artifact Piece.

Indiana Jones Adventure Series: Indiana Jones (Temple of Doom) is available to pre-order April 13th at 1pm ET on Hasbro Pulse and participating retailers.

Indiana Jones Adventure Series: Short Round

Ke Huy Quan’s iconic character from Temple of Doom is available as part of the Adventure Series collection. This figure features a detachable fedora, torch, knife, voodoo doll accessories, and a Build An Artifact piece.

Indiana Jones Adventure Series: Short Round is available for pre-order April 13th at 1pm ET on Hasbro Pulse and participating retailers.

Indiana Jones Adventure Series: Indiana Jones (Hypnotized) from Temple of Doom

This version of Indy features a detachable Chalice of Kali, 3 Sankara stones that glow, satchel, ritual string, and spear accessories.

Indiana Jones Adventure Series: Indiana Jones (Hypnotized) from Temple of Doom is available for pre-order April 13th at 1pm ET on Hasbro Pulse and participating retailers.

PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE…

The Vintage Collection

Vintage Collection figures of Grand Inquisitor from Obi-Wan Kenobi, Grand Admiral Thrawn from Rebels, Pre Vizsla, Orson Krennic, and Darth Revan are in development.

The Black Series

A preview of The Black Series was also provided at the Hasbro panel. Coming soon are: Pre Vizsla from The Clone Wars, General Grievous Battle Damaged (Exclusive to GameStop), Obi-Wan Kenobi Final Duel (Exclusive to Walmart), Qui-Gon Jinn Force Spirit (Exclusive to Walmart), Darth Vader Battle Damaged (Exclusive to Target), and Commander Appo (Exclusive to Target)

HasLab

A new HasLab, the crowdfunding line that hopes to bring dream products into the hands of fans, was teased. Global Marketing Director, Star Wars and Indiana Jones Patrick Schneider identified this new HasLab as one of the most exciting releases in the pipeline.

OTHER INTERVIEW INSIGHTS

Product designer Chris Reiff, in The HoloFiles’ interview, detailed the timeline for Hasbro products from the time they are brought to the Hasbro team, to the time they are shown in a Star Wars project, to the time the product is released. “Our partnership with Lucasfilm is great,” Reiff said. “So, we’re working on product right now that you guys won’t know about for a year and won’t be on [the] shelf for another year and a half. We work that far out on things.”

Sometimes, however, Hasbro aren’t given details about new characters ahead of time. “It varies,” Reiff said. “There are sometimes when we get to participate in the surprise and delight of the show, like our fans do.” For instance, the Hasbro team found out about Luke Skywalker in The Mandalorian Season 2 and Baby Yoda’s introduction in The Mandalorian at the same time as fans did when the respective episodes premiered.

Reiff and Schneider were also asked about the decision-making process that goes into what characters and products are developed, and which ones aren’t. “We’re fans,” Reiff said. “So, the first test is, ‘Do we want it?’ And then, of course, there is the question, ‘Does it make sense with the strategy of Lucasfilm?…It’s all this giant swirl of beautiful spaghetti that starts to turn into fewer and fewer selects.”

Regarding what goes into which products are developed, Schneider importantly recognized that Star Wars is not “one size fits all” and that it is important to cater to a range of Star Wars fans interested in different corners of the franchise.

As noted, a significant portion of the Hasbro panel was dedicated to Lucasfilm’s other blockbuster franchise – Indiana Jones. Reiff and Schneider were asked about what it was like to develop products in the Indiana Jones line. Schneider endearingly spoke about how much Indiana Jones means to him. “I love Star Wars. I’m a bigger Indy fan,” Schneider said. “I’ve been passionate about it my whole life. I read the books, watched the TV show multiple times.”