The Big Tie-ins to the Lucas Magic

“Star Wars”-related products accounted for $2.5 billion in sales, according to industry reports, and George Lucas hopes to cash in again with “Willow.” More than 30 companies have licensed rights to manufacture such “Willow” tie-ins as underwear, bed sheets, lunch boxes from Thermos Inc., a Wendy’s meal promotion (magic “Willow” cups for the tykes!) and numerous toys.

Because “Willow” was in production during most deal making, manufacturers based tie-in plans on plot synopsis, photo stills from the film, snippets of rough footage--or just the Lucasfilm name.

And it’s all a big gamble.

“If the movie isn’t a hit, the products won’t be either,” said Rick Anguilla, editor of Toy & Hobby World. “You can’t sell an 8-year-old a T-shirt with a character on it if she hasn’t heard of the character.”

Even hit movies like “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Alien” have produced merchandising spin-offs that faded fast. Said Anguilla flatly: “Movie tie-ins are a risky business.”

Among “Willow” risks:

Tonka Toys: “Willow” action figures and a Nockmaar Castle play-set.

Craft House Corp. of Toledo, Ohio: Color-by-numbers ($2.75) and poster-pen sets ($4.25). Director of marketing Sam Bushala said the decision to hook up with “Willow” was “all based on Lucas. . . . The movie is a risk, but he has a good track record.”

Buena Vista Records and Tapes: Products include a souvenir story LP ($7.98), read-along cassette and book package ($4.98) and compact disc (price to be set by retailers), all featuring music and dialogue from the film.

Buena Vista also licenses “Star Wars,” “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi,” in addition to the “Indiana Jones” series, “Gremlins,” “Goonies” and the “Star Trek” movies, all of which were successful (51 gold and platinum albums). “If we’re going to put money into a product, we want it to be lasting,” said a spokeswoman. “We have a long-standing relationship with George Lucas. . . . We feel (‘Willow’) will do well at the box office.”

Mindscape: “Willow: The Computer Game” (suggested retail price: $39.95), a digitized animation adventure-fantasy game that closely parallels the film’s plot. Players can also create new maps, scenes and spells for the seven graphic games. Mindscape has a three-year relationship with Lucasfilm.

Quaker Oats: “Willow” magic tricks will soon be found in boxes of Cap’n Crunch breakfast cereal. Quaker Oats will also run double-page advertising inserts in Sunday papers that offer kids a free “Willow” bowl and spoon for two proofs of purchase from a choice of five cereals. Buying two boxes of cereal also gets the consumer a dollar off a carton of milk.

Both offers are slated to take effect June 12. Quaker Oats is basing this tie-in on “George Lucas and his proven ability to capture the imagination of moviegoers--both adults and children,” according to a company spokesman.

General Foods: Theater discounts and “Willow” activity books are the two main tie-ins sponsored by General Foods’ Jell-O. Also, beginning June 5, proofs of purchase from any Jell-O frozen snack, gelatin or pudding will be worth $3 off a movie ticket.

For every movie refund offer requested, General Foods will donate $1 to the Children’s Miracle Network, benefitting children’s hospitals nationwide.

Also in conjunction with Jell-O: A “Willow Activity Book,” available at grocery stores for a multiple purchase of puddings or gelatins.

H-G Toys, New Jersey: Weapons, dress-up costumes and magic sets, to appear in stores in August, geared to children 3 to 7. Costumes include helmets, swords, shields, “Willow” insignia patches, scabbards and belts. The magic tricks include rings and a disappearing ball. All will retail from $2 to $10.

Although H-G Toys has had numerous licensing deals--”Fat Albert,” “Starsky and Hutch,” the “Star Trek” movies, etc.--this is the first Lucasfilm tie-in. “I was very high on the film,” said Gary Felsenthal, H-G’s veep of marketing. “The impact of Lucas should give us a big push.”

St. Martin’s Press: The “ ‘Willow ‘ Sourcebook” and a board game called “The Willow Game” ($29.95), which allows two to six players to take on the roles of the movie’s good guys and villains in a tug of war over baby Elora Dawn.

Eric Goldberg and co-creator Greg Costikyan had not seen the film when they designed the game, now in stores. “You can re-create what happens in the movie, but you can also explore other alternatives,” said Goldberg. He promised, laughing: “It’ll be more sophisticated than ‘Candy Land.’ ”

Lucasfilm wouldn’t talk about its “Willow” merchandising tie-ins because “we want the merchandise to be an extension of the fantasy,” explained a spokeswoman.