Makers of a new Star Wars: The Force Awakens edition of the board game Monopoly have come under fire from fans for leaving the film’s central character Rey out of the set.
The game, released by Disney and Hasbro, features playing pieces of the four male characters Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Finn and Kylo Ren but does not include Rey – the film’s female lead.
As the Guardian reports, fans have started the Twitter hashtag #wheresrey in response to the omission. Rey – played by Daisy Ridley – is also absent from the Star Wars figurine pack sold by chain store Target, which also failed to include any of the other current female characters such as Captain Phasma, played by Gwendoline Christie.
Hasbro's response is apparently having Rey in the game would have given away plot points. It's Monopoly. #WheresRey
— Sarah Livermore (@SJLives) January 5, 2016
#WheresRey come on Hasbro, I want Rey, my grandaughter wants Rey, girls CAN save the galaxy you know.
— Sian C James (@SianCJames1) January 5, 2016
https://twitter.com/MarvelNewz/status/684257996356980737
In response to the concerns regarding the disproportionate gender representation of much of the film’s merchandise, Disney have stated that they will be releasing more lines featuring Rey this month.
“Rey and Phasma feature prominently across hundreds of products, and are selling exceptionally well,” Disney’s senior vice president Paul Southern told The Daily Beast. “In many stores and e-commerce destinations, products featuring Rey are selling as quickly as retailers can restock shelves. Fans will also be seeing a lot more of Rey with a new wave of product coming in January.”
Since its release on December 17, Star Wars: The Force Awakens has taken over £97million at the UK box office and is currently the second-highest-grossing film in UK and Irish box-office history.