Funko Adds Rudy Ruettiger to Its Pop! Lineup
Proving there is no property that can escape their attention, Funko recently announced that a Pop! figure of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, the real-life football underdog portrayed by Sean Astin in 1993’s Rudy, is headed for shelves in November.
The Rudy figure joins other sports offerings from Funko, including figures based on NFL franchises, skateboard legend Tony Hawk, and fictional palooka Rocky Balboa. Astin advocated for the release in response to a Funko poll about sports film projects in January, wondering whether Funko would aim for Ruettiger in uniform or wearing his varsity jacket.
Why Rudy? In addition to being a beloved sports film about Ruettiger’s determination to play for Notre Dame despite a dearth of athletic ability, it’s also the movie’s 25th anniversary. Speaking with USA Today, Ruettiger, now 70, said that the movie endures because of its timeless message: “When you believe in yourself, anything is possible.”
This will mark Astin’s fourth Pop! following iterations of Samwise Gamgee from The Lord of the Rings films, Mikey from 1985 film The Goonies, and Bob from Netflix's Stranger Things.