Here’s a little bit of news which flew under our radar, but caught our attention thanks to China Licensing Expo 2016 where Hasbro is aiming to become a huge presence with our beloved Transformers Franchise.
Zhang Yuchen, general manager of Hasbro China, expects 2017 to be a big year for Transformers.
“We now expect to see explosive growth in the sale of Transformers products in China with the upcoming series of movies,” he added. Looking back, Transformers has enjoyed an unparalleled popularity in China since 1988 when it became the first Western animation to be aired in the country.
Fans can also look forward to visiting a Transformers-themed hotel in Shanghai that will be completed in 2018. The hotel will be operated in partnership with American hotel chain Marriott. Located within the Disney Resort, the themed hotel, the first of its kind in the world, will feature 100 rooms.
Zhang is optimistic that with the surge in nostalgia for the toys and the growing profitability of selling peripheral products from a movie in China, 2017 could very well be “the year of Transformers”.
You can read more at China Daily.
On October 19th, Hasbro will attend China Licensing Expo 2016 with their upcoming plans for the country.
northjason
I'm struggling to process the idea there's a licensing expo in China. The pix I've seen from their version of Toyfair would suggest an IP Theft Expo is a more likely event. I guess I really don't understand that market at all.
eagc7
i sure hope The Last Knight gain alot of money on China in the case it flops in the USA.
BladeStorm
I can understand the presence in China. Transformers are HUGELY popular there and it is only logical to cash in on it. I was at Cybertroncon and saw first hand how obsessive many of the fans there are.
However, why are they partnering with Disney and not Universal? Universal is scheduled to open a theme park in Shanghai near Disneyland in 2019… wouldn't that be the logical pairing since Transformers is part of the Universal Studios group in Singapore, LA and Florida?
Shanghai has set aside an entire economic zone of land for theme park development. When I was up there last month I saw advertising for Six Flags, Universal, Wet'n'Wild and a couple of other large theme parks all planning to be open by or during 2019…
I'd be game if the hotel is just the start and we end up with a Transformers theme park. Imagine the possibilities and roller coasters you could have.
koonfasa
It's because of all the 3P!
Raiju
Something something anti-China, something something Dark Side.
Oooh, beat me to it!
Afterburner
They better pray to god that China continues to like crap, because otherwise this movie franchise is likely toast.
Lord Dcast
You can tell from the smell, and by that logic the same could be said for Third Party toys.
If they're going to go to the trouble of charging premium price for an extensive paintjob and heavy diecast then I doubt they'll be using lead paint.
But hey, we don't know either way.
Edwardmus Prime
Has it been confirmed that those three don't use lead paint, though?
On topic, I find this news to be really neat. It did seem like China contributed a lot to Age of Extinction's success.
convoy84
I mean, that's the long and short of it. Fact is, China's got a lot of people, people that know what they like (in this case, the battles from ROTF), and people Hasbro can profit off of by finding their pleasure centers.
If you ask me, pandering shouldn't be a thing for Transformers. Who said Cybertron Con had to just be in China? Have one in every country, why don't ya!
And why have just a Transformers hotel? Find a big metropolitan city and build a, as I said, Hasbrotel! Just keep Transformers v. Sun Wukong away from my local multiplex; if Chinese audiences love it, great! But if it's a go, it's clearly not built for American moviegoers.
Lord Dcast
Clearly you have never heard of Weijiang, KBB and Machine Boy…and Weijiang ALL HAIL WEIJIANG!
Fallout
something something pandering
Razorrider
Great, more shoddy lead-painted knockoffs and ugly robot statues… smh China
Lord Dcast
Well if it means more Xiaomi tablets I'm game; just make sure they're not repaints.
MartyFeeb
YAY, CHINA! (Just that things have been steadily heading in this direction… And by things, I mean our GENERAL ECONOMY. ) TF-wise, I hope this means Chinese spin-offs, and not English subtitles!
Foolish American! Your economy is not mighty enough to house a TF hotel!
To be fair, a good 80% of Walmart customers LOOK like they just woke up at Walmart!
MastaBlasta
Will they have suspicious red and blue cassettes in everyone room prompting arguments that have been going on for decades?
crazywy89
except you can't sleep in Walmart
unless you do,
then that will be creepy
Hot Shot.
It's called Walmart.
convoy84
PAUSE!
So, Hasbro and Marriott are opening a Transformers hotel in Shanghai Disneyland?
Where's our American Hasbro-tel?
kaijuguy19
sounds very ambitious.
SilverOptimus
News Post: Transformers Franchise Poised For Greater Success In China