Schleich is headed to Hogwarts.
The German company known for its detailed animal figurines and elaborate playsets inked a deal with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products (WBDGCP) to create and market a full range of products inspired by the Wizarding World.
Characters from the Wizarding World will join the Schleich lineup beginning in September with a launch wave that includes six of the series’ main characters alongside their animal companions. Schleich says that the line is “primarily targeted toward kids ages 6-12,” but there is no doubt that the growing kidult segment will also find something to enjoy.
The first wave includes Harry Potter and Hedwig, Ron and Scabbers, Hermione and Crookshanks, Hagrid and Fang, Luna Lovegood and a Baby Thestral, and Albus Dumbledore and Fawkes. Additionally, Schleich will release six iconic creatures from the Harry Potter series: Dobby, Firenze the centaur, Aragog, Buckbeak, Fluffy the three-headed dog, and a Hungarian Horntail dragon.
“The Schleich brand is known for authenticity, attention to detail, and quality all over the world, and Wizarding World will uphold these properties,” says Dirk Engehausen, CEO of Schleich GmbH. “Whenever children play with our characters, they immediately enter their very own universe where there are no rules, no boundaries. What embodies that idea better than Wizarding World, where so much is possible?”
By adding characters from the Wizarding World to its portfolio, Schleich hopes to encourage kids to expand the imaginative play that the company is known to foster across its other themes that already blend realism with fantasy, including Farm World, Bayala, Eldrador Creatures, Horse Club, Dinosaurs, and more. The Wizarding World should also help fuel global expansion for the company.
“Harry Potter is extremely popular in our important international markets, such as the UK, France, and the U.S.,” says Kristina von Troschke, Chief Marketing Officer of Schleich GmbH. “The new product range will have a positive impact on the brand visibility of Schleich in those regions.”
Schleich is already looking ahead to the future with plans to release additional Wizarding World characters and playsets throughout 2024 and 2025.
The Wizarding World franchise began in 1997 with the release of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the first book by British author JK Rowling. The property has since become a transmedia licensing juggernaut. On Feb. 10, the Wizarding World heads back to video game consoles with the release of Hogwarts Legacy, a sprawling title for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
