Topps has announced the expansion of its existing deal with Disney Consumer Products, securing global rights to develop and distribute physical trading cards for Disney, Pixar, and Marvel properties. The first Marvel-themed cards under this agreement, Topps Finest X-Men ’97, are set to be launched in the first quarter of 2025, marking the first time Topps will distribute physical Marvel trading cards globally. This latest development builds on the company’s long-standing collaboration with Disney, which already includes trading cards for the Star Wars™ franchise.
In addition to Marvel, the expanded partnership means Topps will now collaborate with Disney on both physical and digital trading cards for Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars properties. The collaboration will span markets worldwide, including the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), where Topps has previously sold Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars cards through their online store and at fan conventions.
Paul Gitter, Executive Vice President of Global Brand Commercialisation at Disney Consumer Products, expressed his excitement about the new deal. “Topps has been a long-standing collaborator with Disney Consumer Products, driving physical and digital innovation in the trading card space,” Gitter said. “We’re thrilled to officially expand our relationship with Topps to bring storytelling from across our brands to card-collecting enthusiasts around the world.”
The partnership with Disney follows Topps’ success with digital collectibles for Disney, Pixar, and Marvel via the Disney Collect! and Marvel Collect! apps. However, the company is now eager to take this experience further with physical cards, bringing fan-favourite characters from these iconic franchises into the hands of collectors worldwide.
David Leiner, President of Trading Cards at Fanatics Collectibles, which owns Topps, spoke of the importance of enhancing the collector experience. “At Topps, we have a relentless focus on enhancing the fan experience, and this new expansion and extension will help us continue to work with Disney Consumer Products to bring the best innovation in the hobby to collectors,” Leiner said.
Topps has been producing Star Wars trading cards since 1977, making it one of the longest-running collaborations in the trading card industry. The latest release in that series, Star Wars Chrome, hit stores last month, continuing the brand’s popular association with the sci-fi franchise. Leiner highlighted Topps’ ongoing commitment to fans, noting how the brand has constantly innovated to keep pace with evolving fan expectations over the years.
This new venture signals an exciting era for collectors as Topps aims to blend physical and digital innovation across Disney’s beloved franchises. Fans can look forward to the global release of Topps Finest X-Men ’97 in early 2025, the first of many Marvel trading card sets to come.
Topps’ digital offerings through its apps will also complement these physical releases, allowing collectors to access both formats as the brand continues to expand its reach across the globe.
