30 May – With the out-of-the-world success of the "Transformers" franchise, Paramount Pictures is hoping to create another toy-based movie phenomenon with its upcoming live-action adaptation of "Beyblade". The studio is working with producer Mary Parent (2013's "Pacific Rim", 2014's "Noah" and "Godzilla", 2015's "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water"), who will be producing under her Disruption Entertainment banner, according to Deadline. "Beyblade" is a brand name for a line of spinning top toys, which were originally developed and manufactured by Takara Tomy and first released in 2000. A year later, it was licensed by Hasbro for America.
A Japanese manga series that follows a group of kids competing in the Beyblade tournaments was published in 1999 until 2003 to promote the toys. Having generated USD2.5 billion in revenue, the toy spawned several other mangas as well as anime TV series and anime movies. Apart from "Transformers", which grossed USD1.1 billion worldwide with its latest instalment "Transformers: Age of Extinction" in 2014, other Hasbro games adapted into movies include the "G.I. Joe" franchise, last year's "Oujia" and 2012's "Battleship", which unfortunately sunk despite its hefty budget. In the meantime, Hasbro is working on expanding the "Transformers" franchise with more sequels and spinoffs. The latest report from TFW2005.com revealed Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner's has hinted on the possibility of a Bumblebee "Transformers" spinoff.