Want to create an interactive transcript for this episode?
Podcast: The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network
Episode: The $10,000 Buzz Lightyear and the Real Story Behind Toy Story's Merch Empire
Description: Jim Hill and Lauren Hersey continue their Toy Story series with a deep dive into the franchise's merchandising legacy—and how a scrappy unknown toy company landed the rights that Mattel and Hasbro turned down. From the earliest Thinkway figures to today's collector's items worth thousands, they explore how Toy Story became one of the most profitable and collectible Disney properties of all time.
Plus, Jim shares a personal behind-the-scenes story about the original vision for Toy Story 4, including his lost interview with John and Nancy Lasseter—and how a Valentine turned into something very different.
Wh...