A recent report from Deadline notes that speculation has begun “intensifying” that Lionsgate is moving closer to a deal that would see them acquire Hasbro’s Entertainment One.
Lionsgate remains at the top of the potential suitors
The move comes just as Hasbro is set to report its second-quarter 2023 earnings on Thursday. Entertainment One (known as eOne) is a television and film studio behind titles like The Rookie and Yellowjackets. The move was rumored to be happening for some time, with Deadline also reporting last month that Lionsgate was at the top of list in terms of who might acquire the company.
eOne has various assets that Hasbro has put up for sale, including all of its scripted and unscripted TV productions (except for brands like Peppa Pig and PJ Masks, which still exist under Hasbro’s Family Brands division), all film production, and more.
Earlier this year, Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks said that he expected to have an update on the sale efforts by the second quarter, and with that coming up this week, more information is expected.
Hasbro bought eOne in 2019 for $4 billion. In 2021, the company sold eOne’s music business to the private equity firm Blackstone for $385 million.
