Allspark
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment, Production, Distribution |
| Predecessor | Hasbro Studios, LLC |
| Founded | 2009 in Burbank, California, United States |
| Founder | Hasbro |
| Defunct | 2019 |
| Fate | Merged into Entertainment One (eOne) |
| Successor | Entertainment One (eOne) |
| Headquarters | Burbank, California , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Stephen J. Davis (President), Darren Throop (at eOne), Olivier Dumont, Michael Lombardo, Josh Feldman (Head of Development), Greg Mooradian (President of Allspark Pictures) |
| Products | Television and film projects based on Hasbro intellectual properties; live-action films; animated productions; commercial spots and short-form videos |
| Owner | Hasbro |
| Parent | Hasbro |
Allspark, initially known as Hasbro Studios, LLC, was a U.S.-based production and distribution entity owned by the toy and entertainment conglomerate Hasbro, with its main office located in Burbank, California. From 2009 until 2019, the company specialized in developing television and film projects derived from Hasbro’s intellectual properties, distributing content through various channels including the collaborative venture Discovery Family.
The company operated several branches: Allspark Pictures focused on live-action film projects, Allspark Animation handled animated productions, and Cake Mix Studio, situated in Rhode Island, concentrated on commercial spots and short-form video content.
After Hasbro completed its $3.8 billion purchase of Entertainment One (eOne) in December 2019, Allspark’s production and distribution roles were merged into eOne under the leadership of president Darren Throop alongside executives Olivier Dumont and Michael Lombardo. This consolidation aimed to unify Hasbro’s entertainment portfolio by capitalizing on eOne’s worldwide reach.
In late 2022, Hasbro revealed intentions to divest eOne, drawing interest from bidders such as Lionsgate Studios, Legendary Entertainment, and CVC Capital Partners. By August 2023, Lionsgate secured eOne for $500 million, with the transaction concluding in December 2023. Subsequently, in June 2024, eOne was rebranded as Lionsgate Canada, restructuring the distribution rights of former Allspark content within Lionsgate’s corporate framework.
Simultaneously, Hasbro introduced a fresh entertainment division named Hasbro Entertainment in August 2023, marking a renewed focus on strategic content creation and business expansion.
Background
During the early 1980s, Hasbro began producing animated series based on its brands by collaborating with Sunbow Productions, which was already creating commercials for them. Iconic shows included G.I. Joe and The Transformers, which were syndicated through Hasbro's subsidiary Claster Television. In May 2008, Hasbro reacquired Sunbow’s library of animated series from TV-Loonland AG for $7 million. This acquisition allowed Hasbro to internally manage content production while aiding TV-Loonland in settling its debts.
Hasbro Studios (2009–2019)
Established in 2009 with Stephen J. Davis serving as president, Hasbro Studios concentrated on television development, production, and distribution.[1] On October 10, 2010, Hasbro collaborated with Discovery Communications to relaunch Discovery Kids as The Hub (later renamed Discovery Family). Shortly thereafter, Hasbro secured a broadcast agreement with Canadian media firm Corus Entertainment to air their shows on YTV and Teletoon.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name By October 2011, Hasbro Studios had arranged for seven U.S. and international airlines to feature its programming onboard flights.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name In March 2012, the studio ventured into international co-productions beginning with Play-Doh in partnership with Shanghai Media Group's Toonmax.[2]
In December 2012, Hasbro unified its entertainment operations under the Hasbro Studios banner, integrating its Los Angeles film division and Rhode Island’s Cake Mix Studio.[1] Early in 2013, the Game & Reality Show Production segment underwent reorganization under Vice President Kevin Belinkoff.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
August 2014 marked Josh Feldman’s appointment as head of development to oversee both live-action projects and television series.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Later that year saw the launch of Allspark Pictures as a dedicated label for film financing and production.[3]
In August 2015, Hasbro Studios released Truly Outrageous: A Tribute to Starlight Records, a promotional album linked to the Jem movie featuring covers of classic tracks.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
On December 15, 2015, Hasbro and Paramount Pictures unveiled plans for a cinematic universe comprising five properties produced by Allspark Pictures and distributed by Paramount. This franchise universe includes G.I. Joe, Micronauts, Visionaries, M.A.S.K., and Rom.[4]
After two unsuccessful attempts to develop films based on Stretch Armstrong, Netflix commissioned a 26-episode animated series in January 2016—marking the first joint project between Hasbro Studios and the streaming service.[5] By March 2017, key executive personnel and creative teams had relocated to Burbank.[6] That same year also saw the debut of Hasbro’s YouTube franchise Hanazuki: Full of Treasures.[7]
On November 3, 2017, Hasbro Studios extended an exclusive five-year production agreement with Paramount for Allspark Pictures and Allspark Animation to develop original films and franchises while collaborating on television series. Greg Mooradian led the film division; Meghan McCarthy headed animation.[8]
Having lost rights to the Jurassic Park franchise in 2016, Hasbro introduced the dinosaur-themed brand Chomp Squad, launching an animated series on January 6, 2018.[7] On May 1, 2018, Hasbro announced its acquisition of the Power Rangers franchise along with other entertainment assets from Saban Capital Group, finalized on June 12, 2018.[9] At acquisition time, Power Rangers was renewed through 2021,Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad nameCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name while the animated show Treehouse Detectives had nearly completed two seasons.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
Allspark (2019–2020)
On March 26, 2019, Stephen Davis revealed that Hasbro Studios would be rebranded as Allspark, a name inspired by the legendary artifact featured in the Transformers series.
By May 7, 2019, Allspark and Boulder Media had plans to establish a new feature animation studio; however, their proposal to utilize a ferry terminal site was denied by the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.
On December 30, 2019, Hasbro finalized its acquisition of Canadian media company Entertainment One, thereby broadening its global reach and expanding its content offerings.
Entertainment One era (2020–2023)
As of October 9, 2020, eOne became Hasbro's main production division, integrating Allspark and overseeing the creation and distribution of content derived from Hasbro’s intellectual properties.
By August 22, 2022, Hasbro initiated efforts to divest or reorganize its media holdings, including eOne. On that same date, CEO Darren Throop announced his intention to leave the company by the end of the year. Shortly thereafter, on November 1, 2022, Hasbro sold Boulder Media to Australian-based Princess Pictures.
On November 17, 2022, Hasbro placed the entirety of Entertainment One up for sale—excluding former children’s properties already absorbed under Hasbro’s umbrella. Prospective buyers included Fremantle, Lionsgate, and Legendary Entertainment. Fremantle later withdrew due to escalating costs exceeding their investment limits. Other interested entities included CVC Capital Partners and GoDigital Media Group.
In April 2023, discussions began for Hasbro to sell eOne back to its founder Darren Throop. By July, Lionsgate had emerged as the leading contender to acquire Entertainment One. On August 3, 2023, Lionsgate announced a $500 million agreement to purchase eOne, with the deal closing on December 27, 2023. This sale represented a strategic realignment consistent with Hasbro’s focus on its core products and services.
Allspark Pictures
Allspark Pictures, previously known as Hasbro Films or Hasbro Film Group, operated as a film production arm within Allspark—Hasbro’s division dedicated to adapting its properties into films.
During the 1980s, theatrical releases included Hasbro properties such as The Transformers: The Movie and My Little Pony: The Movie. The Transformers franchise was licensed to DreamWorks for a live-action adaptation in 2007, with Paramount Pictures continuing to produce films in both the Transformers and G.I. Joe series.
In 2008, Hasbro partnered with Universal Pictures to develop films based on seven of its properties: Battleship, Candy Land, Clue, Magic: The Gathering, Monopoly, Ouija, and Stretch Armstrong. Hasbro covered development expenses while Universal paid fees related to unproduced projects. By 2012, most Universal initiatives were discontinued except for Battleship and Ouija, with Hasbro reclaiming rights to pursue these titles with other studios; Universal compensated Hasbro with a multimillion-dollar exit fee.
Further agreements included Columbia Pictures and Adam Sandler developing a Candy Land film; Relativity Media advancing a Stretch Armstrong project; and a co-production partnership with Emmett/Furla/Oasis Films targeting films based on Monopoly, Action Man, and Hungry Hungry Hippos. However, by late 2013, the Stretch Armstrong film was shelved.
In 2013, Hasbro initiated legal action against Sweetpea Entertainment and Warner Bros. concerning rights to a Dungeons & Dragons movie. This dispute concluded in 2015 when Warner Bros. agreed to develop the film in collaboration with Allspark Pictures.
In 2014, Hasbro announced a franchise agreement with 20th Century Fox for Wizards of the Coast’s property Magic: The Gathering. That same year marked the launch of Allspark Pictures as Hasbro’s self-finance/co-finance label, debuting projects such as Jem and the Holograms and a new adaptation of My Little Pony: The Movie. Original titles like Hacker Camp were also initiated in 2015.
By mid-2015, Lionsgate was set to distribute a family-oriented action-adventure Monopoly film co-financed by Allspark Pictures. Later that year, Hasbro Studios collaborated with Paramount Pictures to create an interconnected cinematic universe featuring five properties: G.I. Joe, Micronauts, Visionaries, M.A.S.K., and Rom. A writers’ room composed of prominent screenwriters was assembled to develop this creative framework.
In 2016, The Weinstein Company announced plans for a live-action/CGI hybrid film based on the Furby toy under its Dimension label.
Following unsuccessful attempts to acquire DreamWorks Animation and Lionsgate due to disagreements over valuation, Hasbro moved forward with establishing a fully operational movie studio. In October 2017, Greg Mooradian—formerly of Fox 2000—was appointed president of Allspark Pictures effective January 2018. The company sought financing in the range of hundreds of millions of dollars.
In November 2017, Hasbro secured a five-year exclusive production and distribution agreement with Paramount Pictures covering films from both Allspark Pictures and Allspark Animation. Meghan McCarthy was elevated to lead Allspark Animation.
These strategic leadership moves expanded Hasbro's entertainment business model by leveraging its intellectual property portfolio to enhance market presence and stimulate growth through international film production operations.
Animated television series (produced by Allspark Animation)
My Little Pony: Pony LifeTransformers: War for Cybertron TrilogyZoids Wild| Title | Collaborating studio | Debut | Conclusion | Broadcast network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pound Puppies (2010) |
|
October 10, 2010 | November 16, 2013 |
|
| My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic | DHX Media/Vancouver | October 10, 2010 | October 12, 2019 |
|
| The Adventures of Chuck and Friends | Nelvana | October 15, 2010 | January 9, 2012 | The Hub |
| G.I. Joe: Renegades | Darby Pop Productions | November 26, 2010 | July 23, 2011 | The Hub |
| Transformers: Prime |
|
November 29, 2010 | July 26, 2013 |
|
| Transformers: Rescue Bots |
|
February 18, 2012 | October 22, 2016 |
|
| Kaijudo | n/a | June 2, 2012 | December 28, 2013 | The Hub |
| Littlest Pet Shop (2012) | DHX Media/Vancouver | November 10, 2012 | June 4, 2016 |
|
| Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015) | Darby Pop Productions (seasons 1–2) | March 14, 2015 | November 11, 2017 | Cartoon Network |
| Blazing Team: Masters of Yo Kwon Do | Alpha Group Company | November 13, 2015 | September 9, 2017 | Discovery Family |
| Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters | n/a | November 17, 2017 | September 7, 2018 | Netflix |
| Littlest Pet Shop: A World of Our Own | Boulder Media Limited | April 14, 2018 | January 26, 2019 | Discovery Family |
| Transformers: Cyberverse | n/a | September 1, 2018 | June 7, 2020 | Cartoon Network |
| Hanazuki: Full of Treasures | Titmouse, Inc. | Error: Year value is required (help) | Error: Year value is required (help) | Discovery Family |
| Transformers: Rescue Bots Academy | Boulder Media Limited | Error: Year value is required (help) | Error: Year value is required (help) | Discovery Family |
Boulder Media Limited, Entertainment One |
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Rooster Teeth Studios, Polygon Pictures |
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Netflix | |
OLM, Inc., Takara Tomy |
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Animated web series
| Title | Production partner | Premiere | Finale | Platform | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transformers: Combiner Wars (Season 1 of Transformers: Prime Wars Trilogy) | Machinima, Inc. | August 2, 2016 | September 20, 2016 | go90 | ||
| Transformers: Titans Return (Season 2 of Prime Wars Trilogy) | November 14, 2017 | January 9, 2018 | ||||
| Transformers: Power of the Primes (Season 3 of Prime Wars Trilogy) | May 1, 2018 | July 3, 2018 | ||||
| Hanazuki: Full of Treasures | Titmouse, Inc. |
|
July 14, 2017 | YouTube | ||
| Littlest Pet Shop: A World of Our Own | Boulder Media Limited | October 4, 2017 | April 24, 2018 | |||
| My Little Pony: Equestria Girls | DHX Media/Vancouver | November 17, 2017 | June 23, 2020 | |||
| Chomp Squad | Flying Bark Productions, Huminah Huminah Animation | January 5, 2018 | June 2, 2018 |
Live-action television series
| Title | Production partner | Premiere | Finale | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taylor Swift: Journey to Fearless | October 22, 2010 | October 24, 2010 | The Hub | |
|
Natural 9 Entertainment |
November 5, 2010 |
October 29, 2011 | ||
|
November 14, 2011 |
January 1, 2012 | ||
|
March 2, 2019 |
December 12, 2020 |
' rowspan=2' ' Nickelodeon | |
|
February 20, 2021 |
September 29, 2022 | ||
|
September 29, 2023 |
September 29, 2023 |
' rowspan=2' ' Netflix |
Live-action game shows
| Title | Production partner | Premiere | Finale | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
September 22, 2008 |
May 22, 2009 |
'Syndicated (CBS)' | |
|
October 10, 2010 |
November 9, 2014 |
| ||
|
Pictureka! |
Linda Ellman Productions |
October 11, 2010 |
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'The Hub' |
|
The Game of Life |
{{Unbulleted list Andrew Golder Productions 1/17 Productions }} |
{{Start date 2011 9 3 }} |
{{End date 2012 4 15 }} |
'The Hub' |
|
Rubicon Entertainment |
{{Start date 2011 9 3 }} |
{{End date 2012 4 15 }} |
'The Hub' | |
|
{{Unbulleted list Entertain The Brutes Scientific Games }} |
{{Start date 2015 2 7 }} |
{{End date 2016 4 30 }} |
'Syndicated' |
Cinematic Filmography
Feature Films
| Title | Production Companies | Release Year | Production Budget | Revenue | Remarks | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transformers |
|
$150 million | $709.7 million | Template:N/A | |||
| Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen |
|
$200 million | $836.3 million | Template:N/A | |||
| G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra |
|
|
$175 million | $302.5 million | Template:N/A | ||
| Transformers: Dark of the Moon |
|
|
$195 million | $1.12 billion | Template:N/A | ||
| Battleship |
|
|
$209–220 million | $303 million | Template:N/A | ||
| G.I. Joe: Retaliation |
|
|
$155 million | $375.7 million | Template:N/A | ||
| Transformers: Age of Extinction |
|
|
$210 million | $1.104 billion | Template:N/A | ||
| Ouija |
|
|
$5 million | $103.6 million | Template:N/A | ||
| Jem and the Holograms |
|
|
$2.3 million | [3] | |||
| Ouija: Origin of Evil |
|
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| |||||
| Transformers: The Last Knight |
|
| |||||
| My Little Pony: The Movie | Allspark Pictures DHX Media Lionsgate |
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| |||||
| Bumblebee |
|
|
Television Films and Specials
Discography
| Title | Production Partner | Premiere Date | Distribution | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 'My Little Pony: Equestria Girls' | 'DHX Media/Vancouver' | 'Debuted in theaters across more than 200 locations nationwide.' | ||
| 'Transformers Prime Beast Hunters: Predacons Rising' | 'Hub Network' | 'Concluding episode of the Transformers: Prime series.' | ||
| 'My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Rainbow Rocks' | 'DHX Media/Vancouver' | 'Initially scheduled for broadcast on Hub Network.' | ||
| 'My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Friendship Games' | 'DHX Media/Vancouver' | 'Discovery Family' | ||
| 'My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Legend of Everfree' | 'DHX Media/Vancouver' | 'Netflix, Blu-ray/DVD, Discovery Family' | 'Premiered on Netflix before physical and television release.' | |
| 'My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Magical Movie Night' | 'DHX Media/Vancouver' | 'Comprised of three segments each approximately 22 minutes long titled “Dance Magic,” “Movie Magic,” and “Mirror Magic.”' | ||
| 'My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Forgotten Friendship' | 'DHX Media/Vancouver' | 'Discovery Family' | 'A special episode lasting 44 minutes.' | |
| 'Stretch Armstrong and the Flex Fighters: The Breakout' | 'Netflix' | 'An interactive special episode.' | ||
| 'My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Rollercoaster of Friendship' | 'DHX Media/Vancouver' | 'Discovery Family' | '44-minute special installment.' | |
| 'Power Rangers Legacy Wars: Street Fighter Showdown' | 'YouTube' | "Live-action crossover short film inspired by the 'Power Rangers: Legacy Wars' video game." | ||
| 'My Little Pony: Best Gift Ever' | 'DHX Media/Vancouver' | "" | "Discovery Family" | "Christmas-themed special with a duration of 44 minutes." |
| "My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Spring Breakdown" | "DHX Media/Vancouver" | "" | "Discovery Family" | "Special episode lasting approximately 44 minutes." |
| "My Little Pony: Rainbow Roadtrip" | "Boulder Media Limited" | "" | "Discovery Family" | "A one-hour special episode." |
| "My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Sunset's Backstage Pass" | "DHX Media/Vancouver" | "" | "Discovery Family" | "44-minute special episode." |
| "My Little Pony: Equestria Girls – Holidays Unwrapped" | "DHX Media/Vancouver" | "" | "Discovery Family" | "Christmas-themed special lasting about 44 minutes." |
| Title | U.S. Release Date | Duration | Composer(s) | Record Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truly Outrageous: A Tribute to Starlight Records | August 7, 2015 | N/A | N/A | Legacy Recordings |
| A Pony Kind of Christmas | November 6, 2015 (original) October 7, 2016 (expanded edition) |
27:45 (original) 37:44 (expanded edition) |
N/A |
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