Mattel, SpaceX Look to Rekindle Astronaut Era With New Line of Toys

Mattel has inked a multi-year deal with spacecraft engineering company SpaceX that will see the iconic toymaker launch products “that inspire children and collectors alike to tap into their inner space explorer,” according to the joint press release Tuesday (July 20).

“We take pride in our ability to create products and experiences that honor cultural moments and inspire humankind,” said Nick Karamanos, senior vice president of entertainment partnerships at Mattel, according to the joint press release. “As space exploration advances more quickly than ever before, we are thrilled to work with SpaceX and help spark limitless play patterns for the space explorer in every kid.”

Mattel will start releasing SpaceX-inspired toys under its Matchbox brand next year. The company will also debut “astro-inspired collectibles” on Mattel Creations, Mattel’s collaboration and direct-to-consumer platform, at the same time.

“At SpaceX, we believe that a future in which humanity is out among the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one in which we are not,” said Brian Bjelde, vice president at SpaceX. “We look forward to working with Mattel to help inspire the next generation of space explorers and enthusiasts.”

Mattel is scheduled to report its second-quarter earnings at the close of trading today.

Related: Hasbro Goes Full ‘G.I. Joe’ in Q2 Earnings as Toymaker Evolves to Fight its own Battles

Meanwhile, Hasbro is two quarters into a strategic transformation and is knee-deep in combat on several fronts, not unlike its classic G.I. Joe character.

Hasbro’s second-quarter results reflect a company that it is involved in three major fights at once: supply chain challenges, the growing impacts of a strong U.S. dollar and an ongoing digital shift that’s changed how consumers play, shop and more.

“We see big opportunities to scale our franchise brands,” said Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks on the quarterly earnings call Tuesday (July 19), noting that for the three months ending June 26, Hasbro’s digital unit — Wizards of the Coast — delivered its biggest quarter ever, exceeding the prior record set a year ago via 15% growth in tabletop gaming and 11% growth in Magic: The Gathering, which includes the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop and video games.

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