Posted in: ABC, Showtime, TV | Tagged: entertainment one, eOne, hasbro, The Rookie, yellowjackets

Hasbro Readying "The Rookie," "Yellowjackets" Producer eOne for Sale

Published Thu, 17 Nov 2022 08:55:12 -0600

Between the unexpected impact of the pandemic & the fallout from it combined with Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks' announced commitment to making the company a major player in digital gaming, the rumblings were out there over the past few weeks. But this morning, Hasbro announced that it's readying Entertainment One (eOne) for sale after the film & television production company received interest from outside buyers. Originally acquired by Hasbro in 2019 in a $4B deal, the move was originally intended to help Hasbro position itself as a multimedia player with plans to roll out its IPs in film, television, gaming, and more. Not only does eOne have a library of approximately 6500 titles, but it also has an active film & television business that produces & finances programming content such as Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, The Woman King, Showtime's Yellowjackets, and ABC's "The Rookie" franchise. For Hasbro's part, the company sees the move as a chance to focus on expanding important global IPs (such as "Peppa Pig," "Transformers," and "Dungeons & Dragons") in the gaming field. The company will be retaining the services of J.P. Morgan and Centerview Partners to facilitate a deal.

rookie — Image: ABC (The Rookie)/Showtime (Yellowjackets)

"Following our recent Investor Day, where we introduced our new branded entertainment strategy, Blueprint 2.0, we received inbound interest from several parties for the part of the eOne television and film business that, while valuable, is not core to our go-forward strategy. This interest informed our decision to explore a sale process," Cocks said in a statement issued earlier today. "As we execute Blueprint 2.0 with a focus on strategic investment in key franchise brands like D&D, Peppa Pig, and Transformers, we plan to expand our entertainment offerings across scripted TV, digital shorts, and blockbuster films. We look forward to delighting audiences of all ages as we focus on delivering truly market-leading Hasbro-IP-related entertainment," the Hasbro CEO added.

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