Some interesting information came out of our most recent Q&A session with Hasbro. Here's the text:


JEDI TEMPLE ARCHIVES: Looking forward to 2010, we've been seeing indications about potential wave themes for the Legacy basic figure line. Particularly, that there will not be a wave of figures representing A NEW HOPE. Will the Legacy Collection and the following movie based figure line that's set to launch next summer continue to follow an individual movie theme for each wave? And can you give us an indication of which movies will be represented in these waves for 2010?

HASBRO: The EU wave that was shown at Comic Con will be the last of the red/white Legacy series for Spring 2010. The Legacy-type basic figure line scheduled to launch next Fall will follow a wave theme to ensure that each movie gets one focused wave, then we will change to a non-wave based system. The way it looks currently, there will be Fall 2010 waves for EpII, III, V, and VI (not in that order) with EpI and IV getting waves at the beginning of 2011.

This news is certainly unfortunate but not completely unprecedented. Based on the information in the graphic above (from Hasbro's presentation at this summer's San Diego Comic Con), this wave was slated to hit the pegs in mid December. Given the recent release of the wave of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK figures, this target date may still hold. However, if the EU wave does not make it out before the Christmas holiday, it may not make it to retail until late January. Retailers traditionally cut off orders immediately after Christmas and assess business for the season with their most extensive inventory periods of the year.

So where will this leave fans of Legacy Collection figures? There will be a drought in carded figures between the release of the the EU wave and the relaunch of the new line look in July/August of 2010. But what should collectors expect during that gap? The answer: MULTI-PACKS. Recent news from Hasbro states that the Expanded Universe comic 2-pack line will be folding. However, Hasbro indicates that the remainders of the comic 2-pack line will be released in the spring of 2010. There are also some exclusives on the way, too. Among them will be a pair of Toys R Us exclusive Force Unleashed battle packs which we broke the news on from Comic Con.

There are also expected to be some basic figure releases for the CLONE WARS line. There are at least two waves of basic figures that have been announced that have not made it to retail at this time. And there also may be some additional SAGA LEGENDS releases that have yet to be revealed.

In the meantime, Hasbro did indicate that there will be one wave of basic figures for every film in the Star Wars saga beginning with the new line launch this coming summer. The films that will be represented in 2010 include ATTACK OF THE CLONES, REVENGE OF THE SITH, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, and RETURN OF THE JEDI. And in the beginning of 2011 there will be one wave each for THE PHANTOM MENACE and A NEW HOPE. Following those releases, Hasbro will be moving away from waves that are themed around a single movie, and waves of figures will be from multiple movies or other sources.

This is significant news for all collectors of Hasbro's Star Wars line. And we'll continue to follow this story as it develops, so keep checking back!