D23 Expo: Funko Founder Mike Becker on Return to D23, Doing What You Love, & Growth of Funko

During D23 Expo, I got the chance to pay a visit to the Funko booth and check out some of their exclusive products for this year’s convention. The Funko booth is a highlight of whatever convention they visit, whether it’s Freddy’s Beach Bash at the Pop Pier at WonderCon, Funkoville at San Diego Comic-Con, or this year’s FunKon in Washington. D23 Expo, the first D23 since 2019, was no exception. I also got the chance to speak to Mike Becker, the Founder of Funko, which now encompasses various brands and collectible companies beyond the main Funko line. Several years ago, Funko acquired the apparel and lifestyle company Loungefly. Earlier this year, Funko acquired the high-end collectible company, Mondo.

Also at San Diego Comic-Con, Funko announced a partnership with 10:10 games to develop a new AAA action-platform game for Funko that’s slated for a 2023 release. Here is what Mike Becker had to say about Funko’s presence this year at D23 and more:

Image Credit: Jeffrey Harris/411mania

Jeffrey Harris: How happy are you that Funko gets to be part of the return of D23?

Mike Becker: Super happy. I mean, as you know, seeing San Diego Comic-Con with me over there with Funkoville. We brought a little bit of Funkoville over here with us for D23. It was amazing, right? It did feel very homey, and that’s what Funko is all about. Funko, family, it’s supposed to feel like home. So that’s what we try to continue doing still because we are one big happy family, and thank goodness we’re back here at D23 again. So we’re happy to be back with our pals here at Loungefly. We’re ready to kick some butt and have some fun like we always do.

Jeffrey Harris: The great thing about Disney now is that it’s not just Disney anymore, but it’s also Marvel, Star Wars, and Lucasfilm. It’s a lot of the same things that fans of the Funko community appreciate, but what do you think? <?b>

Mike Becker: You missed Pixar, but we’re always trying to follow our fun. Everyone’s a fan of something, so we like to make sure we please everybody and have something to offer everyone. Like I said, it’s all part of the Funko Family. Although they’re a family, we all like different things, so there’s something for everybody.

Today’s D23 Expo Funko haul! Thank you to the folks at Funko! #FunkoPOP #Funko #D23Expo2022 #D23Expo #DisneyPlusDay #Disney pic.twitter.com/TSPR6Y6ONv

— Jeffrey Harris (@Wheeljack83) September 9, 2022

Jeffrey Harris: How did things start for you with Funko?

Mike Becker: I started it out of a garage. I started with a dream and a few thousand bucks, and it’s your typical story where I started out of a garage. Do what you love and all the rest will follow.

Jeffrey Harris: I think what’s also impressive is that Funko has branched out and diversified their product line with the board games, Loungefly, Mondo, and now the video games. So it looks like the future is brighter than ever for this company.

Mike Becker: Oh, I know. Again, we have become corporate, and we are a bigger company, but we’ve never lost our way. We continue to follow our fun, to do what we love every day. I can’t wait every day to get up and work on fun every day. Of course, with everything, there’s some trials and things that go with it, but yeah.

Jeffrey Harris: The Comic-Con panel announced the new AAA game project for Funko. How excited are you about the game project, and when do you think we’ll start hearing more about the new game?

Mike Becker: That one I probably shouldn’t comment on, but I will say, who doesn’t want to play those games? I do. I’m ready for it. Very soon, very soon. How do you like that? You can print that.

Jeffrey Harris: And is there anything else you’re excited about doing this weekend at D23?

Mike Becker: I can’t wait to go see my friend Bob Iger and Bob Gurr. Bob Gurr is here. We just did a Pop Talk together over at our Hollywood store, and it was so fun. I believe he turns 91 this week. And he’s a Disney Legend. His name is on a couple of the windows at Disney and in Florida as well. Anyways, just a great guy, he worked obviously on the monorail and on the dune buggies and all that. So I’m actually the most excited about going to hang out with him.

Jeffrey Harris: And to bring it back to Funko, Walt Disney’s own personal plane, the Grumman Gulfstream I, nicknamed The Mouse, has been immortalized as a Mickey Funko Pop by you guys has been brought here as part of an exhibit for D23. So the real-life plane and the exclusive Funko are also here.

Mike Becker: There’s so much to take in, it’s crazy. I’ll probably make my way over to Trader Sam’s tonight.

Thank you to Mike Becker for taking the time to speak with us. In case you missed the D23 Expo, some of the D23 Funko exclusive products area available to order and pre-order now at Amazon.com and Funko’s website.