How Hasbro Decides What Toys Become Movies

Thursday, July 17th, 2014 4:55AM CDT

Categories: Movie Related News, Toy News, Company News, Interviews
Posted by: Va'al Views: 41,424

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An interview with Hasbro executives over at Business Insider gives us a look at how the company pitches, chooses, nudges and ultimately lands on the big screen their originally (mostly) plastic properties - Transformers obviously included! Check out some snippets below, and read the whole piece here.

With several more brands set to get the movie treatment in the next few years, we spoke with Hasbro Chief Marketing Officer John Frascotti to find out exactly how the company selects which of its toy lines get adapted to the big screen and how you can possibly turn a board game into a movie.

"We look for those brands that have story and character at their foundation because inevitably for any type of storytelling format, whether it's a movie, a television show, a digital comic ... it has to have great story and great characters at its foundation," says Frascotti.

[...]

"When you look at brands like Transformers and G.I. Joe they actually have a lot of lore and storytelling behind them already. So, in the case of Transformers, it's a 30-year-old brand and it had a long history of storytelling," said Frascotti. "Very similar, G.I. Joe who was founded in the '60s. Since then there's been a lot of storytelling and development in terms of comic books and television shows and movies and all types of rich storytelling. In those cases, where there's already a lot of storytelling in place, I think the roadmap is a little more evident."

After the success of "Transformers" in 2007, Frascotti says Hasbro continued to pitch other brands while studios began approaching them as well.

Credit(s): Business Insider

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Re: How Hasbro Decides What Toys Become Movies (1591367)
Posted by Rated X on July 17th, 2014 @ 8:59am CDT

Thats gotta be the most corporate response Ive ever heard. Maybe its time to lock the suits in the basement and let kids and fans run the company.

Re: How Hasbro Decides What Toys Become Movies (1591412)
Posted by Shuttershock on July 17th, 2014 @ 12:27pm CDT

Indeed, it's good to have a brand with a long list of interesting stories and characters. And then, the movie studios can fold that list up into a little paper football, flick it into the trash, and do whatever they want.

Re: How Hasbro Decides What Toys Become Movies (1591429)
Posted by OptimalOptimus2 on July 17th, 2014 @ 1:39pm CDT

An Ouija movie? Looks like I'm buying a Ouija board!!!

Re: How Hasbro Decides What Toys Become Movies (1591441)
Posted by Nemesis Maximo on July 17th, 2014 @ 3:04pm CDT

Re: How Hasbro Decides What Toys Become Movies (1591444)
Posted by MCutter on July 17th, 2014 @ 3:13pm CDT

"We look for those brands that have story and character at their foundation..."

*cough*battleship*cough*hungryhungryhippos*cough*

"... because inevitably for any type of storytelling format, whether it's a movie, a television show, a digital comic ... it has to have great story and great characters at its foundation,"

Then we strip out 50-99% of the characters and story and replace it with an assortment of random aliens, sexy girls or "romance" sub-plots, stereotypes, and fart/sex/embarrassment jokes.

Pull the other one; it's got bells on it.

Re: How Hasbro Decides What Toys Become Movies (1591466)
Posted by Convoy on July 17th, 2014 @ 4:33pm CDT

Rated X wrote:Thats gotta be the most corporate response Ive ever heard. Maybe its time to lock the suits in the basement and let kids and fans run the company.

I didn't want to say anything because I thought I might sound paranoid. (Does that sound paranoid?... Oh, wait!)
By what I've learned recently I'd rather know how Hasbro decides which movies get toys.

edit:
Thanks, Chuck Dawg

Re: How Hasbro Decides What Toys Become Movies (1591479)
Posted by PrymeStriker on July 17th, 2014 @ 5:50pm CDT

So, in the case of Transformers, it's a 30-year-old brand and it had a long history of storytelling," said Frascotti.

Yes. A long history of storytelling with very few cases of good storytelling. :roll:

Re: How Hasbro Decides What Toys Become Movies (1591485)
Posted by Convoy on July 17th, 2014 @ 6:55pm CDT

PrymeStriker wrote:
So, in the case of Transformers, it's a 30-year-old brand and it had a long history of storytelling," said Frascotti.

Yes. A long history of storytelling with very few cases of good storytelling.

Hahaha! Even the writers admit it. Deadlines, man.
#printmoney
>:oP

Re: How Hasbro Decides What Toys Become Movies (1591489)
Posted by Convoy on July 17th, 2014 @ 7:09pm CDT

MCutter wrote:
"We look for those brands that have story and character at their foundation..."
*cough*battleship*cough*hungryhungryhippos*cough*

"... because inevitably for any type of storytelling format, whether it's a movie, a television show, a digital comic ... it has to have great story and great characters at its foundation,"
Then we strip out 50-99% of the characters and story and replace it with an assortment of random aliens, sexy girls or "romance" sub-plots, stereotypes, and fart/sex/embarrassment jokes.

Pull the other one; it's got bells on it.

This post just made me laugh. Now you've got me expecting a blockbuster summer hit starring an alien female hippo who also happens to be sexy and looking for love. Include "sub-plots, stereotypes, and fart/sex/embarrassment jokes." Throw some explosions in there and call it a day! I'd pay $30 bucks to see it in 3D and buy garbage "food" for too much money!
What is it Team America says?

edit:

You could say she's hungry for love... but I wouldn't.

Rare double edit:

Tammy!?!?!?