Exploiting the Franchise

Because what's the point of spending billions purchasing a company and its library and copyrights if you don't?

Disney XD is launching a new series that combines two of pop culture’s hottest properties: “Lego Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures,” an animated adventure comedy scheduled to debut this summer.

The series, set between “Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back” and “Episode VI – Return of the Jedi,” centers around new characters the Freemakers, a family of scavengers who build and sell starships from the scoured debris of space battles strewn throughout the galaxy. When their youngest discovers a natural connection with the Force through an ancient artifact — the Kyber Saber — his world is turned upside down, and he and his family are thrown into an epic struggle against the Empire ...

Warners proved that there are a lot of eyeballs to be attracted with a good Lego property, and here's a fine chance to do a little cross positioning, product and franchise wise.

The unspoken worry, of course, with all the Star Wars toys and games and action figures and bubble gum cards, not to mention the sequels, prequels and spin-offs rolling down the factory chutes over the next few years, will Diz Co. murder the golden goose in its feathery nest?

I guess we'll have to wait a few years to find out.