Toy Association announce the 2021 Toy of the Year Award Winners

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May 2026

fri22may12:01 AM11:59 PMThe Mandalorian & GroguEvent ends in

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The Mandalorian and Grogu, announced as The Mandalorian & Grogu, is a Star Wars movie that started production in 2024. Directed by Jon Favreau and produced by Favreau, Kathleen Kennedy, and Dave Filoni, it takes place between the events of Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and Episode VII: The Force Awakens, focuses on the adventures of Din Djarin and Din Grogu, and will be a spinoff to the TV series Star Wars: The Mandalorian. The film was announced on January 9 that year on StarWars.com with a conceptual sketch by veteran illustrator Ryan Church, along with an announcement of a second season of the television series Star Wars: Ahsoka. A fourth season of The Mandalorian is also still in development.

On May 7, 2019, Disney revealed their future movie release schedule, including a set of three untitled new Star Wars films, one of which had a scheduled release date of December 20, 2024. The Star Wars Show also reported on the news on May 15. On July 23, 2020, after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the film was delayed to December 19, 2025. After the start of the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike, Disney shifted their theatrical film release slate, with the film being pushed to its current release date of May 22, 2026. A film directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy occupied this release slot until The Mandalorian & Grogu was announced.

Star Wars Insider 224 revealed the initial film logo was the same as the one for The Mandalorian Season Three. In August 2024, during D23 2024, it was revealed that the film had entered production, and a new logo was revealed, in addition to a teaser that was shown to the audience. In August 2024, Sigourney Weaver revealed that she had joined the cast of The Mandalorian & Grogu.

Alongside the release of the movie, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run will be updated to include a new mission featuring Djarin, Grogu, Tatooine, Endor and Cloud City, which takes place off camera from the film.

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May 22, 2026 12:01 AM - 11:59 PM(GMT+01:00)

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September 2026

tue22sep12:01 AM11:59 PMLucas Museum of Narrative Art opening ceremonyEvent ends in

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The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art celebrates the power of visual storytelling. Founded by George Lucas and Mellody Hobson, the museum explores how images move us and shape our collective memory. From Frida Kahlo’s self-portrait to Norman Rockwell’s scenes of everyday life to Charles White’s portraits of dignity. Each invites reflection. Each tells a story.

Designed by Ma Yansong of MAD, the Lucas Museum is located in Exposition Park in the South Los Angeles region. The museum’s campus includes new green space designed by Mia Lehrer and her team at Studio-MLA. Inside the building, our galleries explore timeless themes—family, love, work, play, fantasy, and more. Additional spaces include two state-of-the-art cinematic theaters and dedicated areas for learning, dining, retail, and events.

George Lucas and Mellody Hobson share a conviction that illustrated stories connect people across cultures and generations. Their decades of collecting span iconic American painting and popular illustration, comics, and cinematic art.

Lucas, creator of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises, and founder of the George Lucas Educational Foundation began collecting in college, when the only art he could afford was original comic art for $30. Over 50 years, that collection has grown to more than 40,000 works. “I could never sell my art,” Lucas says. “It just is not what I think art is. I think it’s more about an emotional connection with the work, not how much it cost.”

Hobson, in addition to managing Ariel Investments, is the former chair of Starbucks Corporation and serves as a director of JPMorganChase.

In 2010, Hobson and Lucas signed the Giving Pledge, a campaign and public promise by some of the world’s wealthiest philanthropists to give the majority of their wealth to charitable causes. The pair is committed to improving education, particularly through the arts. “We’ve always said we’re holding society’s money, which we fully intend to give back,” Hobson says. “This is how we’re doing it.”

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September 22, 2026 12:01 AM - 11:59 PM(GMT-07:00)

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February 2027

fri19feb12:01 AM11:59 PMStar Wars 50th Anniversary releaseEvent starts in

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The Toy Association‘s 21st annual Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards and Toy Industry Hall of Fame induction ceremony took place virtually yesterday and toys from the galaxy far, far away made a grand showing as four of the 16 categories not only went to Star Wars but to four of its major licencees, LEGO, Hasbro, Disney and Mattel.

TOTY awards were also handed out in 16 categories and given to the following:

Action Figure of the Year: Fisher-Price #ThankYouHeroes Line (Mattel)
Collectible of the Year: LEGO Super Mario Character Packs (LEGO)
Construction Toy of the Year: LEGO Star Wars The Razor Crest (LEGO)
Creative Toy of the Year: Crayola Colors of the World Crayons (Crayola LLC)
Doll of the Year: Barbie Color Reveal (Mattel)
Game of the Year: Pokémon Trading Card Game Battle Academy (The Pokémon Company International)
Infant/Toddler Toy of the Year: Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Grow-the-Fun Garden to Kitchen (Mattel)
Innovative Toy of the Year: Star Wars: The Child Animatronic Edition Toy (Hasbro)
License of the Year: Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Disney)
Outdoor Toy of the Year: Ultimate Go-Kart (Radio Flyer)
Playset of the Year: LEGO Super Mario Bowser’s Castle Boss Battle Expansion Set (LEGO)
Plush Toy of the Year: Star Wars: The Mandalorian The Child 11″ Plush (Mattel)
Preschool Toy of the Year: PAW Patrol Dino Patroller (Spin Master)
Specialty Toy of the Year: LEGO Ideas Grand Piano (LEGO)
STEAM Toy of the Year: Mega Cyborg Hand (Thames & Kosmos)
Vehicle of the Year: PLAYMOBIL Back To The Future DeLorean (PLAYMOBIL)

Congratulations to all the winners and especially to Mattel, Disney, Hasbro and LEGO for their success this year.

Tags
Toy of the Year Awards

SourceToy Fair

Mark Newbold

Exploring the galaxy since 1978, Mark wrote his first fan fiction in '81 and been a presence online since his first webpage Fanta War in 1996. He currently contributes to ILM.com and SkywalkerSound.com, having previously written for Star Wars Insider, StarWars.com, Star Wars Encyclopedia, Build The Millennium Falcon, Starburst Magazine, Geeky Monkey, TV Film Memorabilia and Model and Collectors Mart. He is a four-time Star Wars Celebration Stage host (the only podcaster to have appeared on every Celebration podcast stage since it began in 2015), the Daily Content Manager of Fantha Tracks and the co-host of Making Tracks, Canon Fodder and Start Your Engines on Fantha Tracks Radio.

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Toy Association announce the 2021 Toy of the Year Award Winners

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