What’s Up With Pixar’s UP Movie Toys?

UP, Pixar’s latest animated feature opened in theaters last week, and surprised everyone by grossing a hefty $68.2 million.

But you might be asking, where are the UP movie toys?   They are almost nowhere to be seen in the marketplaces around the globe.  In fact, Thinkway Toys, who manufactured a slew of great toys for Pixar’s Cars actually did not make a single toy for this movie.

You are not the only one who’s left scratching their heads.  The movie UP has been criticized by many analysts as not being commercial enough.  The film is based on the adventures of an old man, a pudgy boy and a few talking dogs, not exactly giving toy and game tie-ins much to work with.

According to the Guardian, Disney chief executive, Robert A Iger, said the company is more interested in making “great films,” not just producing movies that are tied to commercial interests.

Once Again, Pixar Prizes Art over Commercial Interests

Luckily, there’s that bit with the talking dogs.  That’s Pixar’s way of throwing the toy industry a bone.

So Disney is offering a few plush toys like this amusing Gamma dog plush as well as other members of the cute doggie cast of UP.  It’s just hard to market a plush doll of a old man, you know?

But once you see the movie, you’ll understand why the toy bling was an afterthought.  UP actually tackles the values of commercialism itself as well as other heart-felt issues as the characters embark on a bizarre journey in a floating house full of dust and antiques.

As much as I love toys, I respect Pixar for the way it continues to reframe what it means to be a maker of Blockbuster movies.  Talking dogs and all.