If this "anonymous source" at Lucasfilm is correct, and the dearth of Rey-oriented toys, games, clothing, etc. was driven from Lucasfilm/Disney itself, that would be deeply irritating. Of course, the Disney merchandising execs have a mindset of Boy Stuff (Pirates!) vs Girl Stuff (Princesses!), but it's still gobsmacking that a movie that so prominently featured a female protagonist would be so fumbled.
Or is it?
'Corroborating the Lucasfilm insider’s assertions is John Marcotte, founder of the non-profit Heroic Girls. “I’ve spoken with Disney people, and they were completely blindsided by the reaction to the new Star Wars characters,” he tells Boehm. “They put a huge investment into marketing and merchandizing the Kylo Ren character. They presumed he would be the big breakout role from the film. They were completely surprised when it was Rey everyone identified with and wanted to see more of. Now they’re stuck with vast amounts of Kylo Ren product that is not moving, and a tidal wave of complaints about a lack of Rey items.”'
Kylo Ren? Emo Vader-wannabe? He was meant to be the breakout character? He is the true protagonist-of-focus in the movie?
Well … that's not beyond reason. Certainly a number of the emotional heartbeats in the story as it showed up on the screen focus on KR. And if the original two trilogies were about the Fall and Rise of Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader, someone might have intentionally designed things such that Kylo Ren would be the core character in the third trilogy.
Worth some discussion over a few beers, at least.
If this whole thing is accurate, let's hope that the rumors about why the next movie is seeing some rewriting is in reaction to how Rey (and Finn) have taken off as characters, and (once again) hope that, come Star Wars VIII, we don't have to ask "Where's Rey" again.
Report: ‘Star Wars’ toymakers were ‘specifically directed’ to exclude Rey
What makes me more nervous is the implication that Kylo Ren will be artificially pushed in future movies, instead of falling aside like this pathetic emo [Vader] wannabe should.
I think way back in the day they were surprised a guy dressed in all black who seemed to have a breathing problem became such a huge hit, and they automatically assumed Kylo Ren would be the same. I have no idea why.
He started off cool, with things like stopping a blaster bolt and giving Finn a look while the stormtrooper was having a crisis of conscience. He even seemed somewhat intimidating when he was interrogating Poe… but it was all over as soon as he had his first tantrum, and the final nail was hammered into the coffin when he removed the helmet.
+Gary Roth It's hard to say what "artificially pushed" means in the context of storytelling. If the real intent was to tell the saga of Kylo Ren, with some other folk along for the ride, that's not artificial.
If you mean that, in the face of Rey's popularity, KR will be given more screen time so as to shift the narrative and attention back to where the studio "wants" it, that would be problematic (more so than the studio tacking the story over to fit audience enjoyment of Rey and Finn).
+Marty Shaw The anger didn't diminish him. Vader was clearly pissed in the opening scene until he located the Princess. The helmet coming off, plus the emo-neediness and the whining did it. Vader was still dignified in the end, even without the helmet.
+Marty Shaw I don't have a huge problem (so far) with KR. He's not my favorite character by far, and his Force mastery felt poorly written (uneven for authorial convenience). But I'm enjoying him as an antagonist (or as a dark protagonist) more than, say, Anakin Skywalker. I think the key will be what they do with him moving forward.
Whatever either Disney or the associated toy producers were thinking, Rey was one of three major new characters and should have been properly represented.
The fact that she was well written, and JJ Abrams and Daisy Ridley both brought their A-game to the role just accentuates how bad those marketing decisions were.