Long before Disney+ series and endless waves of new collectibles, there was Star Wars: Droids, the 1985 animated series that followed R2-D2 and C-3PO's adventures before the events of the original film. Hasbro is bringing that largely untouched corner of Star Wars history into STAR WARS: THE BLACK SERIES with a four-figure wave shipping September 1, 2026, and the presentation is as much the story here as the characters themselves.
Rather than standard modern Black Series packaging, every figure in this wave ships on Kenner-inspired cardback packaging built to evoke classic 1980s Star Wars toys, and each one includes a plastic collector coin engraved with the character's portrait and name. It is a deliberately nostalgic release aimed at longtime collectors who remember the original toy line, not just fans of the cartoon itself.
This guide covers what is confirmed about all four figures, why the Imperial Stormtrooper and C-3PO releases are bigger deals than they might look at first glance, and how to protect Kenner-style carded packaging once these ship.
All four figures are confirmed directly through Hasbro Pulse product listings, with matching coverage from Laughing Place and WDW News Today:
Each figure recreates its character's specific animated appearance from the 1985-1986 series rather than a film-accurate design:
The Stormtrooper and C-3PO figures are worth calling out specifically: both characters have had dozens of Black Series releases over the years, but neither has previously gotten a version built around this specific animated era, which makes them the two figures most likely to appeal to completionists who otherwise feel like they already own every version of these characters.
For collectors who did not grow up with it, Star Wars: Droids: The Adventures of R2-D2 and C-3PO ran for a single season on ABC in 1985 and 1986, following the two droids between owners in the years before they wound up on the Tantive IV at the start of the original film. It never reached the cultural footprint of the films, and much of it has stayed largely unrevisited by official merchandise for decades, which is part of why this wave stands out: it is not a reissue of a previously well-covered corner of Star Wars, but a genuine first-time treatment for a specific animated era.
Hasbro has spent 2026 mining Star Wars history well beyond the current Disney-era films and shows, and this wave is a clear example: a 40-year-old Saturday morning cartoon getting premium 6-inch figure treatment with packaging built to look like it came off a 1985 store shelf. For collectors who grew up with the original Droids cartoon, or who simply collect vintage-style Kenner reissues regardless of source material, this is a genuinely different category from the modern film and streaming waves that dominate most current Black Series releases.
Retro cardback packaging like this is more fragile in some ways than modern blister packaging, since collectors chasing the vintage aesthetic tend to want the card itself to stay pristine, not just the figure inside. A PET protector sized for standard Black Series carded figures is the practical first step for keeping the card corners and bubble from getting crushed in transit or storage. Since this wave mixes accessory-heavy figures like R2-D2 and Boba Fett with accessory-light ones like C-3PO, a mixed-size protector pack is a sensible way to cover the whole wave without guessing at exact card dimensions for each individual figure.
If you would rather display the figures out of the packaging entirely, an acrylic case built for 6-inch Black Series figures keeps the coin and figure together on a shelf while still protecting against dust.
If you are planning to protect or display this wave once it ships, these EVORETRO products are a practical starting point:
Pre-orders are open now, with figures shipping starting September 1, 2026.
$27.99 per figure, sold individually rather than as a bundled set.
Artoo-Detoo (R2-D2), See-Threepio (C-3PO), an Imperial Stormtrooper, and Boba Fett, all based on their appearances in the 1985 Star Wars: Droids animated series.
No, but it is the first time C-3PO and the Stormtrooper have received a version specifically based on the Droids animated design, and Boba Fett and R2-D2 both get new color schemes distinct from their prior Black Series releases.
This is a wave built for a specific kind of collector: someone who wants their Star Wars shelf to include a piece of the franchise's animated history, not just its films and streaming shows, presented in packaging designed to look like it came from 1985. If that describes your collection, the pre-order window is open now for all four figures.
Whichever figures you pick up, deciding upfront whether you are keeping them carded or displaying them loose will determine which kind of protection makes sense, so it is worth settling that before the figures actually arrive in September.
For more on recent Star Wars Black Series releases and figure protection options, these guides may also help:
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