The
company will develop a range of gifts, toys and specialty products including collectible
action figures, plush, mugs, wall décor and more, all inspired by the characters,
creatures and themes from the Harry Potter stories. Mattel was the previous licensee.
As the Harry Potter series has matured with each subsequent film,
so has its audience. The assortment of products being created by Neca will therefore
be geared to appeal to older, loyal fans that have followed the stories over the
years, while still offering something for younger fans that are new to the series.
In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry returns for his
fifth year of study at Hogwarts and discovers that much of the wizarding community
is in denial about the teenagers recent encounter with the evil Lord Voldemort,
preferring to turn a blind eye to the news that Voldemort has returned. Fearing
that Hogwarts venerable Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, is lying about Voldemorts
return in order to undermine his power and take his job, the Minister for Magic,
Cornelius Fudge, appoints a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher to keep
watch over Dumbledore and the Hogwarts students.
But
Professor Dolores Umbridges Ministry-approved course of defensive magic
leaves the young wizards woefully unprepared to defend themselves against the
dark forces threatening them and the entire wizarding community. So, at the prompting
of his friends Hermione and Ron, Harry takes matters into his own hands. Meeting
secretly with a small group of students who name themselves Dumbledores
Army,
Harry
teaches them how to defend themselves against the Dark Arts, preparing the courageous
young wizards for the extraordinary battle that lies ahead. Neca designs, manufactures
and markets of fine collectible products.