11 Movies That Sold The Most Merchandise

1. Star Wars

Most of you have probably predicted Star Wars to be the runaway winner in our list. With seven movies in the franchise, the epic series about a galaxy far, far away is also light years away in terms of merchandise revenue. Star Wars has generated more than $32 billion in retail merchandise sales alone since 1977. On top of that, it reportedly increases by at least $1.5 billion each year according to the NPD Group and Lucasfilm.

The franchise has already accumulated $12 billion in toy sales alone. Nielsen predicts that Star Wars: The Force Awakens will generate $5 billion in merchandise revenue during its “first year of release.” In 2014, it earned $2.3 billion in global retail sales. Disney bought the Star Wars franchise from Lucasfilm for $4 billion in 2012, a cheap price tag compared to the profits it’s generating now.

These 11 movies that sold the most merchandise are both entertaining for the fans and profitable for the studios. Most of them have multiple films in their franchise, showing the growing followers of the brand. These movies have made gift giving easier for consumers providing them with different merchandise options. If there’s one thing we can learn from them it’s to always factor in how one’s brand can become more than just a name. It’s about pushing the limits a bit further by making it a novelty that encourages customer loyalty.