Hasbro Reportedly Considering Selling Entertainment Assets

Hasbro might be on its way to a seismic shakeup. Recent reports suggest the toymaker is considering selling its entertainment arm to help refocus business efforts. According to Bloomberg, Hasbro is considering one of two options—to focus solely on branded content such as Transformers and Peppa Pig, or to sell eOne, the film and television company it purchased for $4 billion in 2019.

"Entertainment is a core foundation of Hasbro," a spokesperson for the company told the magazine. "As part of our strategic review process, we are always open to new and better ways to tell stories and bring people together through the power of play via our world-class family of brands."

It's expected Hasbro will announce its plans during an earnings call in October. Whatever the case, it's expected Hasbro and, in turn, eOne, will stop getting involved in non-branded productions such as Yellowjackets and Designated Survivor.

The outfit is currently in post-production on Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, a spiritual successor to the outfit's critically acclaimed Bumblebee reimagining.

"We wanted to expand the universe, you have the Autobots and the Decepticons, and I would say my new flair to this is the Terrorcons," Beasts director Steve Caple Jr. said during a press conference earlier this year. "The Terracons are a new threat to Optimus Prime, and it's something I pride myself on when entering the franchise. I've done Rocky with Creed, and you bring the nostalgia that fans want, but also bring something they aren't expecting, and the Terracons are that."

You'll also see the Predacons. "The Predacons in our film are more reptilian in nature. We've seen a few in the other Transformers films, but we've never had the chance to focus in on their logo, their tribe if you will, and we get to see another side to them," Caple Jr. said. "It's all about building a backstory to these characters that are more than just 'let's take over the world'".

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is set in 1994 and will serve as a spiritual successor to 2018's Bumblebee. It's currently scheduled to hit theaters on June 24, 2022.