>>11501132He mentions it at the 45 second mark of his interview with Veebs.
https://youtu.be/CVNOaifBDsk
>It's a big group project because like, Stefan and Blaine, Aaron, uh Paul, Brodie, we're all...everyone's working on it together.Now, Stefan Folkins is the production manager but has done design work at Neca in the past, and Aaron Harzouri is a concept and packaging artist, but he was also the one that recreated the Bert and Ernie portrait accessory. Paul Harding is a designer and sculptor (and illustrator) and Brodie Perkins is lead digital sculptor. And Blaine needs no introduction. He is a bonafide toy designer.
Multiple designers. Working together. Contributing.
>>11501921He doesn't mention yrs or no to Elmo in the interview I linked, but at around the 44 minute mark he does say that no character is off the table. He learned to never say never after things like ED-209 and characters in the TMNT line that ended up getting made.