The 1980s were notorious years for movie and television tie-in toy lines. It all started with a “little” $10 million movie called Star Wars. In 1976, George Lucas famously acquired the sequel and merchandising during his early negotiations with 20th Century Fox Studios for his science fantasy passion project.
At the time, merchandising rights weren’t a hot commodity. Intellectual property tie-in toy lines were mostly reserved for television properties. So Fox executives kind of laughed off the request and quickly put them into Lucas’s contract.
When Star Wars was released in 1977, it became the biggest box office phenomenon of all time. There was a high demand for Star Wars toys, but Lucas and Kenner underestimated the potential demand. Figures weren’t available until later the next year. When they did become available, sales were through the roof.
It was the release of the sequel The Empire Strikes Back where the toy line truly went through the roof and into the stars, making billions of dollars.
But by 1985, the Star Wars toy line was coming to a close. The last Star Wars movie, Return of the Jedi, debuted in 1983. The children who grew up playing with the toys had grown up. The demand for more ended with the release of what collectors call the Final 17, which consisted of the final seventeen figures of The Power of the Force line. The figures weren’t a huge success as interest in the toy line waned. Most were pulled off of the shelves and destroyed. Ironically, these least successful figures of the Star Wars: The Power of the Force line are now some of the most desired and valuable figures of the whole 1978-1985 line.
So what does this have to do with The Last Starfighter? Here we’ll discuss and showcase a now-beloved 1980s sci-fi classic that never got the toy line it deserved. But, wait, there are figures out there!
The Last Starfighter: The Movie
In the summer of 1984 — a year after Return of the Jedi ruled the box office — Universal released a science fiction flick titled The Last Starfighter. Some kids (me) thought this was another Star Wars installment.
On the surface, it looked like another story from a galaxy far, far away. However, this sci-fi tale was a little bit more grounded in reality, at least for the first act of the film, which was set primarily on Earth.
Audiences were then taken on a cosmic joyride with Alex Rogan, a trailer-park teenager who unexpectedly became an intergalactic hero. The Last Starfighter wasn’t your average space opera — it was a love letter to the burgeoning world of arcade games and the timeless allure of sci-fi adventure.
Directed by Nick Castle, the movie was a bold leap into the future of filmmaking, pioneering the use of CGI for its epic space battles. Instead of relying on traditional models and miniatures, the team opted for cutting-edge computer graphics. They were impressive for the time, but still lacked the realism of the Star Wars practical model effects.
The script, penned by Jonathan R. Betuel, combined humor, action, and a touch of romance, making it a perfect fit for the family-friendly blockbusters of the 1980s. Add a charming performance by Lance Guest as Alex and a scene-stealing alien co-pilot, Grig (played by Dan O’Herlihy in fantastic prosthetics), and you had a recipe for a cult classic.
The film was made on a budget of $15 million — a hefty budget for its time — thanks largely to the groundbreaking computer-generated effects. While it didn’t reach Star Wars levels of box office dominance, the movie managed to pull in $28.7 million during its theatrical run.
It wasn’t a runaway hit, but it earned respectable numbers and found a devoted fan base over the years — especially when it was released on VHS and made its HBO debut.
It’s a mix of cutting-edge tech, feel-good storytelling, and arcade-game nostalgia.
However, we never got to play with any The Last Starfighter toys. Although, that doesn’t mean none were made.
The Last Starfighter: The Toy Line
Yes, The Last Starfighter did have a toy line planned, but it never made it to wide production or release.
Toy company Galoob — later most known as the company behind Micro Machines — was attached to develop prototypes for a toy line based on the upcoming The Last Starfighter movie that was about to debut in the summer of 1984.
At the 1984 Toy Fair, Galoob showed off their The Last Starfighter prototypes — twelve total figures.
Galoob was planning on having the figures released in unique double packs — two figures for the price of one.
No ships or vehicles were ever created for the line, although the pitch intended for there to be accompanying vehicles, likely the now-iconic hero Gunstar ships.
During the same time, Galoob had listed its The Last Starfighter figures in their industry catalog sent out to retail stores.
Sadly, the toy line would never see the light of day. By 1984, toy lines were a dime a dozen. Star Wars had run its course. The last breath of the Star Wars line — the 1983-1985 Power of the Force releases — showed waning success. Retailers weren’t interested in packing their shelves with an unproven toyline, especially when G.I. Joe, Transformers, and He-Man were in much higher demand.
The final straw was likely when the movie came out and didn’t become a huge pop culture hit like Star Wars.
The twelve prototypes disappeared for decades until 2018 when the website Plaid Stallions got an email from someone saying that they have some of the prototypes in their possession. Long story short, a former movie sculptor who had the prototypes wanted to get rid of them. He had turned his back on Hollywood and was clearly looking to make some money.
While we don’t know what price was paid, the figures ended up being sold as a full set to Batcave Comics and Toys in Santa Rosa, CA.
Nobody knows (yet) where the remaining prototype figures are. Until then, here’s what they looked like.
The Last Starfighter Prototype Figures
Many of the figures were repainted — with additional molding — Remco Sgt. Rock figures. You can see the similarities when you compare and contrast them.
Here's the first bunch, from left to right.
Enduran
The leader of the Star League.
Beta Alex
Alex’s android doppelgänger who stays on Earth. This figure may also be the Earth version of Alex himself.
Maggie
Alex’s girlfriend.
Alex Rogan Gunstar Pilot
The protagonist and Gunstar pilot.
And here's the second bunch, from left to right, top to bottom.
Grig
Alex's reptilian co-pilot and mentor.
Centauri
The charismatic alien recruiter who brings Alex into the Star League.
Zando-Zan in Police Uniform
The shapeshifting bounty hunters.
Kodan Wing Commander
Either a Kodan Wing Commander or other variation of a Kodan character.
Xur
The traitorous and ambitious antagonist allied with the Ko-Dan.
Zando-Zan
The shapeshifting bounty hunters.
Lord Kril
The menacing commander of the Kodan Armada, the movie's primary villain.
Bogati Gunstar Pilot
The alien Star League pilot who yelled at Alex when he stepped on his tentacle.
The Last Starfighter: The Marvel Comic
Marvel Comics released an adaptation of The Last Starfighter as part of their Marvel Super Special series, specifically Issue #31, in 1984. The comic served as a direct adaptation of the movie.
The comic was written by Bill Mantlo, with art by Bret Blevins. It featured the movie’s full storyline, retelling Alex Rogan’s rise from arcade whiz to intergalactic hero in vibrant, dynamic panels.
Marvel also released the story as a three-issue mini-series, making it more accessible to comic shop visitors who might have missed the magazine-sized Super Special issue.
The comic has become a sought-after collectible among fans of the movie and vintage comics.
The Last Starfighter: The Video Game
Atari began working on a video game adaptation of The Last Starfighter to capitalize on the movie's arcade-game-centered story. The game was initially intended for the Atari 5200 console and arcade systems.
It was essentially a rebranded version of another Atari title, Star Raiders II, with new graphics and theming inspired by the movie. Players would engage in space combat missions, similar to the movie’s space battles in the Gunstar.
Despite development efforts, the game was never officially released under The Last Starfighter name. However, Star Raiders II was released independently, and fans often point out its similarities to what the tie-in game might have been.
ROM files for the unreleased The Last Starfighter game are apparently out there.
It’s always interesting to explore what could have been, toy-wise. But with The Last Starfighter, it’s thrilling to know that we at least have some legit prototypes out in the world. Word has it that the original screenwriters have pitched a sequel to the studio, complete with amazing conceptual artwork. Fingers crossed!
Ken Miyamoto is the Toys of Our Lives Content and Collections Manager. He has also worked in the film industry for nearly two decades, most notably as a studio liaison for Sony Studios and then as a script reader and story analyst for Sony Pictures.
He has many studio meetings under his belt as a produced screenwriter, meeting with the likes of Sony, Dreamworks, Universal, Disney, Warner Brothers, as well as many production and management companies. He has had a previous development deal with Lionsgate, as well as multiple writing assignments, including the produced miniseries Blackout, starring Anne Heche, Sean Patrick Flanery, Billy Zane, James Brolin, Haylie Duff, Brian Bloom, Eric La Salle, and Bruce Boxleitner, the feature thriller Hunter’s Creed, and many produced Lifetime thrillers. Follow Ken on Instagram @KenMovies76