Rey Will Now Battle for Monopoly Money After Fans Force Change to Board Game
Star Wars Monopoly (Hasbro)
Now that Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Rey has left Jakku, she’s got a whole galaxy to explore. And soon, she’ll be able to visit — and perhaps buy — Atlantic Avenue.
There was much discontent earlier this week when the Star Wars edition of Monopoly lacked Rey — the scavenger heroine played by Daisy Ridley — who was not a playable token, despite being the main character in the film. Instead, Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Kylo Ren and Finn were featured. Hasbro, which initially released a statement explaining the absence as a safeguard against spoilers in the film (the game was released in September), has felt the Force-choke of angry fans and reversed course.
“We love our fans’ passion for Rey, and are happy to share that we will be including her in the Monopoly: Star Wars game, available later this year,” the company wrote on Facebook and Twitter.
The Monopoly incident is just the latest Star Wars: The Force Awakens toy and merchandise snafu. After September’s Force Friday, toys and merchandise linked to Star Wars: The Force Awakens underwent unprecedented scrutiny as fans searched for clues and spoilers in plastic action figures and even packaging.
Related: Go Behind the Scenes of 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ With These Sweet Instagram Snaps
Even before the film was released, fans began to tweet #WheresRey to protest the character’s absence from some merchandising, including various action figure packs and a big toy Millennium Falcon — a ship that she pilots in the film.
Hasbro came under fire last summer, as well, for something much more obscure: The company website initially described a Jurassic World Indominus Rex toy as being male, not female, which contradicted the movie. Clearly, the company might want to employ some social-media strategists to predict potential outrage. Or, just be more sensitive to what actually happens in the movies they merchandise.
