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Updated: Hasbro to Produce Marvel Toys in ‘07
— January 9, 2006 Leave a Comment
Rumors began this weekend out of the Hong Kong toy show that the Marvel toy license is expiring and that Hasbro was picking up the license. It has been confirmed that the license does expire this year, but many fans were concerned over the idea that Hasbro might produce Marvel figures. There was also a lot of confusion surrounding this as the current producer of Marvel Toys, Toy Biz, is owned by Marvel.
Well, the confusion still exists, but it is official. In Hasbro Picks up the Marvel License over st Super Hero Times, Hasbro announced that they will produce Marvel toys beginning in 2007. In addition to this, Marvel Press Statement on the Hasbro Deal is a Marvel press release at Action-Figure.com detailing how Marvel has ended its distribution deal with Toy Biz Worldwide a year early effective at the end of 2005. Marvel will produce everything in house until 2007 when Hasbro takes over the license.
What does this all mean? What Does the Hasbro / Marvel Deal Mean? by Adrian at Action-Figure.com is a long article detailing the whole saga including the relationship between Toy Biz, Marvel and Toy Biz Worldwide.
Here is what I think is going to happen. I think that Hasbro will be developing, producing and distributing all of the Marvel toys beginning in 2007, based on what I read. I think that Marvel is getting out of the toy business, and this is the way to do it. What does this mean for Toy Biz? I think Toy Biz will be dissolved and absorbed into Hasbro or Marvel. They do have the licenses for addtional toy lines. I think those will be absorbed as well. I don’t see anyway for Toy Biz to continue without the Marvel line.
What will happen to Marvel Legends and similar lines? I don’t think they will continue, at least not like they are now. I don’t see how Hasbro can continue to produce them in the same fashion as they are now without changing them. Now, I know relatively little about the toy business. I hope Hasbro proves me wrong, and they do an even better job than Toy Biz. I hope we find out more at Toy Fair next month.
