#ForceFriday: Disney unveils ‘Star Wars’ toys amid marketing blitz

The release of the new “Star Wars” movie may still be months off, but Disney is unleashing its full marketing “force” behind the launch of hundreds of toys and other items related to the film. The massive marketing blitz, which Disney has named “Force Friday,” spans all kinds of media and included an 18-hour global “unboxing” streamed live on YouTube.

There’s just this evangelism that exists for the movie, because this movie is part of our lives, because we all have some sort of connection to it.

Rob Maigret, chief creative officer of Colorado-based Sphero, which created a $150 mini version of the BB-8 droid featured in the new movie

Meanwhile, major toy retailers around the world opened their doors and held special events when the toys first became available just after midnight Friday. While most of the people buying Friday will be the die-hard collectors who must have the hot items first, sales momentum will likely continue into the holiday shopping season as the movie’s Dec. 18 release date draws closer and nostalgic parents introduce a new generation of kids to “Star Wars.”

There’s a new generation of boys and girls who are going to be brought in who may not even be aware of 'Star Wars’ yet.

Joe Ninivaggi, Hasbro’s senior brand manager for “Star Wars”