The Kenner toy company secured the license to produce Star Wars toys for the May 1977 release of the first movie (later, renamed "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope,"), and the company planned easy-to-produce toys like puzzles and paint sets. But the film's immense popularity created a huge market for action figures, vehicles, play sets, and all kinds of merchandise. Caught without any action figures for the all-important holiday season, Kenner offered instead an empty box and a certificate promising to supply figures of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, and R2-D2 later in spring 1978. In the years that followed, Kenner offered action figures for 12 Star Wars characters. As sequels of the movie introduced new characters, Kenner offered action figures of them as well.