Warner Bros. Discovery‘s global consumer products division has signed a new deal with collectibles company The Noble Collection to expand their product lines based on popular WBD-owned IP, including the Harry Potter and Wizarding World franchise, the DC Universe, “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” movies and “Game of Thrones.”
Under the pact, The Noble Collection will produce new versions of Wizarding World prop replica wands, “unique” Wizarding World collector plush based on the iconic Patronus charm, new DC collectibles and more. The Noble Collection will also bring back certain items, including reimagined Harry Potter prop replica glasses and several other “highly requested fan and collector products.”
The Noble Collection set its first deal with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products 15 years ago, when the company became Warner Bros.’ first licensed partner for Wizarding World replica wands in 2008.
“The Noble Collection’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products has allowed fans of all ages to celebrate their fandoms and engage with timeless brands through our finely crafted collectibles,” The Noble Collection senior vice president Julian Montoya told PvNew. “The continuation of our partnership will not only expand upon classic fan-favorite offerings, but also inspire enthusiasts with a new, highly-anticipated assortment of products across some of the world’s most iconic and beloved properties.”
Below, Montoya tells PvNew more about what fans can expect from the expanded deal.
What is the main reason behind this contract renewal and the success of WBD and The Noble Collection’s ongoing partnership?
The Noble Collection has been a partner of Warner Bros. Discovery for over 15 years, and we are proud to serve as the first company trusted with the license to create authentic prop replica wands and other iconic artifacts from the Wizarding World. This partnership has resulted in a fantastic range of products that allow Wizarding World fans to immerse themselves into the world they love.
Because of our unique and extensive experience in wand-crafting in partnership with the team at WBD, we leverage the creative energy of our design team to create the bespoke wands sold at the Harry Potter store in New York, Platform 9 ¾ in London and the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in Leavesden.
Over the years, the partnership has expanded beyond the Wizarding World to allow us to make products inspired by fan-favorite brands, such as “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit,” DC, “Game of Thrones” and their celebrated horror franchises. Regardless of the brand or the price point of any particular product, we always bring our signature attention to detail and quality to every product. We consider ourselves “creators of finely crafted treasures” and that approach drives everything we do. We see it as a privilege to make products for the fandoms created by these brands and take our responsibility to the fans very seriously.
With multiple new iterations of beloved WBD titles coming including “The Lord of the Rings” movies, the new “Harry Potter” series, another new “Game of Thrones” spinoff and James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new plans for the DC Universe, what can you tease about upcoming projects and how they might look different from the current depictions of these iconic brands?
We work very closely with our partners at WBD to identify product opportunities, and there are a lot within WBD’s rich IP catalog. The new content in development will yield phenomenal new products, and collectors and casual consumers can expect to see our commitment to quality and attention to detail through some fun, unexpected surprises. We have exciting new product concepts in development, which will allow fans the opportunity to own new wand concepts and some of their Wizarding World “wish list” items.
What are the most popular WBD products from Noble to date?
Although we are perhaps best known for our broad assortment of Wizarding World wands, our fun and creative chess sets, distinctive diorama concepts and collector-quality plush products are also fan favorites. Our products range in price from “affordable” to “aspirational” to ensure every fan can find a Noble Collection product to add to their collection.
What The Noble Collection’s origin story?
The company began as an importer of medieval armor replicas from Toledo, Spain. We utilized photography in catalogs, such as Skymall, to differentiate ourselves from competitors, then began designing and manufacturing our own unique pieces of armor. We built skills across multiple materials, including steel, bronze, porcelain and resin to expand our product offering, and slowly began licensing IP. When the company released its first line of “Lord of the Rings” prop replicas, we were introduced to the world of pop culture collectibles and our days as designers and developers of medieval armor became history. Literally.
How does The Noble Collection differentiate itself from other collectible brands? What makes it successful?
We are very particular about the franchises we choose to work on. Our focus on authenticity, details, quality and value are quite consuming, and we put too much of ourselves into the products we develop to work on something we aren’t passionate about. We believe that our passion can be seen in the details of our products, making them recognizable and appreciated by fans.
Major properties, like “Harry Potter” / The Wizarding World, have some of the most devoted fan bases — how does The Noble Collection stay true to these iconic franchises?
Like WBD, we recognize that a franchise like “Harry Potter” may be owned by the studio, but it belongs to the fans. These fan bases are devoted, but they are also informed and passionate. They will know if corners have been cut and they can sniff out something inauthentic from a mile away. These franchises are an important part of their lives, so we hold ourselves to a higher level of accountability to authentically contribute to the celebration of their fandom.
