It’s Morphin’ Time: Playmates Secures Deal with Hasbro for New Power Rangers Toys
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News broke in April that we’re about to enter a brand new era of Power Rangers collectibles. Get ready to supercharge your collection: Playmates Toys has been granted licensing rights for a whole new line of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers toys, blasters, and more, due to launch in 2025.
For anyone born within the last 30-40 years, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers was probably a childhood staple. The original series was created by Haim Saban, based on the Japanese franchise Super Sentai, and aired in 1993. It became a pop culture phenomenon right out of the gate. Toys of our favorite Rangers have remained a staple of action figure collections for adults and kids ever since. The franchise celebrated its 30th anniversary last year and the series is one of the longest-running live-action kids TV shows of all time.
The Rangers have been in safe hands with Hasbro since the company bought the franchise rights in 2018. The three most recent TV series, Power Rangers Beast Morphers, Power Rangers Dino Fury, and Power Rangers Cosmic Fury, have been well-received by old and new fans, along with the nostalgia-laden Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Once & Always 30th anniversary special released on Netflix last year. Their action figure line, the Power Rangers Lightning Collection, was perfectly pitched to appeal to adults and kids and the toys remain in high demand since their release in 2019.
The franchise received a popularity boost in 2016 thanks to the comic series produced by Boom! Studios. The comics portray our beloved Rangers in a fresh, modern, and often more mature way. They expand on the rich mythology and lore of the original series and appeal to a slightly older audience, allowing the studio to deliver some truly incredible twists and a heavy dose of nostalgia.
With so much history – and high expectations from fans – one might think taking on the licensing rights for Power Rangers products would be a daunting task. But Playmates has such a great reputation that it feels right to see them stepping up to the plate. With franchises such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Star Trek, and Godzilla under its belt, it’s the perfect company to handle the delicate balance between new and nostalgic designs.
When announcing the deal with Hasbro, Playmates’ SVP of Marketing, Karl Aaronian, said: “Playmates and Hasbro speak the same toy language and share a passion for Power Rangers, a multi-generational phenomenon that has stood the test of time.” In the same press release, Hasbro’s President of Licensed Consumer Products, Casey Collins, said, “Playmates’ ability to interpret character-based storytelling in highly detailed, innovative, and affordable products has revitalized several iconic brands” and that the company is “the perfect fit to fully expand the Power Rangers franchise.”
Playmates will own the rights to more than just action figures: they plan to produce blasters, costumes, accessories, plushes, vehicles, playsets, and more. Playmates’ Power Rangers debut is expected to launch in 2025 with a kid-targeted Mighty Morphin Power Rangers toy line. Hasbro retains the franchise’s entertainment rights and will continue to oversee global strategies in publishing, apparel, and promotions. With the combined expertise and passion of these two powerhouses, we can expect nothing but the best for our favorite Rangers, and the perfect action figures to power up our collections.
What do you think about the deal between Playmates and Hasbro? Let us know in the comments. And don’t forget to sign up to our email list to get Finds of the Week and our free weekly newsletter, PopPulse Digest, delivered straight to your inbox.
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