Hasbro Planning to take My Little Pony to the Silver Screen

Hasbro Studios is making a push to bring My Little Pony’s popularity to the big screen in 2017 with Ice Age: Continental Drift’s Joe Ballarini penning the script. According to Variety, Hasbro is using its Allspark Pictures label for this one, just like with Jem and the Holograms.  Hasbro will produce and finance the film in house, and is already talking to studios regarding distribution options. [hit the jump to continue]

Stephen Davis, president of Hasbro Studios and global entertainment and licensing for Hasbro Inc., highlighted the company’s excitement for the potential of this movie.  Hasbro wants to release the film “on the broadest possible number of screens,” a worthy ambition considering My Little Pony’s popularity.  In addition to those Comic-Con lines, the property has already been turned into direct-to-video animated movies and a TV series that airs in over 180 different countries as well.

Hasbro is taking the reins on the My Little Pony movie, but Davis also made a point of noting:
“We will continue to make big tentpole movies with our studio partners … but there is another set of movies where we feel we have an opportunity to have a bit more control over the budgeting, financing, calendarization, marketing and creative of our films.  There are new economic models that fit certain films.”

Hasbro wouldn’t disclose the budget for the My Little Pony film, but considering the advancements in animation technology, the project likely won’t come anywhere close to the massive price tags that come with the Transformers or G.I. Joe films.