Force Friday: Disney eyes boost as Star Wars: The Force Awakens toy sales to 'hit $5 billion in 2016'

Disney has staged a marathon Star Wars toy unboxing event and live streamed the action on YouTube in an attempt to awaken the force of global shoppers and help it recoup some of its $4 billion (£2.6 billion) investment in the sci-fi film franchise.

Toys based on the next instalment of the saga, Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, which is due out in cinemas in December, have been unveiled in an 18-hour event in 15 cities, including London.

The merchandise went on sale this morning, dubbed “Force Friday”, with fans queuing through the night to snap up the products including action figures and mock lightsabers.

Sales of Star Wars merchandise could bring in $3 billion this year, PiperJaffrey analysts told Business Insider.

In 2016 the figure could rise to $5 billion, according to estimates by Morgan Stanley’s Benjamin Swinburne quoted in Fortune.

Disney, which licenses the rights to make such items to manufacturers and computer game developers, has already shown its expertise in squeezing revenue from its films.

Turnover at its consumer products division jumped 12% thanks in part to goods associated with smash-hit animated movie Frozen.

The Force Awakens will be released in UK cinemas on December 18 and sees Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford return as Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, as well as fresh faces Lupita Nyong'o and Game of Thrones' Gwendoline Christie.

When the trailer was released in April Disney shares leapt and boosted the company’s value by around £1.3 billion.