According to Dark Horizons, the entertainment company Hasbro has purchased the ‘Power Rangers’ franchise from Saban Brands. Hasbro announced the acquisition in a press release this morning. [easy-tweet tweet=”According to Dark Horizons, the entertainment company Hasbro has purchased the ‘Power Rangers’ franchise from Saban Brands. Hasbro announced the acquisition in a press release this morning. ” user=”Jenisaur” hashtags=”#powerrangers”]Haim Saban, creator of ‘Power Rangers’ and founder of Saban Brands, will stay on in a consulting role “…to further guide our development of this valuable property for the next generation of Power Rangers fans.”
Excited to announce we’re acquiring Saban’s @PowerRangers and other entertainment brands! https://t.co/WECwWymX7Q pic.twitter.com/dUZL87kQbO
— Hasbro (@HasbroNews) May 1, 2018
Hasbro Buys ‘Power Rangers’
After 25 years and over 900 episodes, Power Rangers is among the longest-running live-action series for kids. It currently airs in 150 markets around the world. Hasbro’s acquisition includes all related intellectual property, category rights and content libraries owned by Saban Properties and its affiliates. This means Hasbro controls the franchise entirely, including its future on the big screen and comics shelf.
While the series is over two decades old, Saban keeps it fresh with storyline reboots and Ranger replacements. The 2017 Power Rangers movie was no exception. The rangers in this movie were more 21st Century Breakfast Club than their predecessors, which kept made them appealing to viewers both familiar with and new to the franchise.
However, there is no news yet on whether Hasbro will continue where the 2017 film left off, which ended with room for a sequel. But that doesn’t always lead to a second installment, as the 2015 Jem and the Holograms has proven. Jem is also owned by Hasbro. The film was distributed by Allspark Pictures, Hasbro’s production company.
Dark Horizon estimates the deal’s value at $522 million, including cash and stock. It included rights to other Saban brands including the late 80s/early 90s classic “Popples”. Newly branded Power Rangers products should hit shelves in 2019.
