Our time with Power Rangers is over for now but Hasbro’s time with Power Rangers is only getting truly started. Ever since Chris Cocks became the CEO of Hasbro he has been rather quiet about the cherished tokusatsu franchise surrounding the superheroes we love, until now.
Hasbro acquired the Power Rangers brand from Haim Saban in 2018. The late CEO Brian Goldner acquired the brand with the vision of not only reinventing the franchise but fostering its true potential. Sadly tragedy struck and Mr. Goldner died of Cancer in 2021. Chris Cocks succeeded him in January 2022, but he has never mentioned anything about Power Rangers, leading many fans to grow worried.
Power Rangers Had A Good Year
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Today at Hasbro’s Third Quarter 2023 Earnings Conference Call Cocks did the unthinkable detailing its growth despite the impairments Hasbro faced this year in addition to the strikes in Hollywood, as well as reaffirming their commitment to Power Rangers.
“In the Entertainment segment, revenues fell 40% mainly due to strikes by actors/writers. Partially offsetting this, we saw 53% growth in family brands, driven by sales of Peppa Pig and Power Rangers content.
Our direct-to-consumer business has grown 57% year-to-date in 2023. Hasbro Pulse is a modest-sized platform today, but it is growing rapidly, providing new ways to delight fans and learn from our consumers. We are excited to continue developing our direct initiatives behind brands like Star Wars, Marvel, Transformers, Magic, GI Joe, D&D and Powe Rangers – one of the best brand lineups in the collectibles universe
– Chris Cocks
It’s surprising to know that Power Rangers is a priority for Hasbro. For a while, it did not seem like that was the case. Marketing for the brand has been underwhelming and inconsistent. It’s also worth mentioning that the Lightning Collection is shutting down as we previously reported but does that mean Hasbro’s done with their rights to the Rangers? Absolutely not, it just indicates that they know they have a problem that needs to be fixed.
The Power Stays At Hasbro
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Power Rangers is not leaving Hasbro, there are no plans to sell or give up on any of the franchise brands for that matter. In fact, in the Q&A session, when asked if there were any plans to prune any of the brands, Cocks had something reassuring to say.
“Our franchise brands are essential to the company and are linked to our main categories. In action figures you have Transformers, secondarily Power Rangers” .
Power Rangers is on the verge of a major reboot, not just for the series at the hands of Jonathan Entwistle, but for the brand as a whole. It’s possible and very likely that Chris Cocks’ main interest has always been the reboot and was waiting for the kid’s show to end with Cosmic Fury. It’s also possible that he was just as surprised at how Power Rangers performed this year as we are.
Whatever the future has in store for Power Rangers I hope it honors what Brian Goldner had in mind, I trust that Hasbro did not let his vision die with him and I hope to see Chris Cocks continue to honor his legacy.
About Hasbro
Hasbro is a leading toy and game company whose mission is to entertain and connect generations of fans through the wonder of storytelling and the exhilaration of play. Hasbro delivers engaging brand experiences for global audiences through toys, consumer products, gaming, and entertainment, with a portfolio of iconic brands including MAGIC: THE GATHERING, DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, Hasbro Gaming, NERF, TRANSFORMERS, PLAY-DOH and PEPPA PIG, as well as premier partner brands.
What are your thoughts? What do you hope to see in Power Rangers? Let us know and follow us on social media for more content like this. We’re always watching.
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Source: Hasbro
