Mattell buys HiT Entertainment

[Len]

According to this article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15430842

Mattell Toys is buying HiT Entertainment, owner of the rights to Thomas the Tank Engine.

Considering how tight Mattell has been about licensing their other toys, will this buyout have any impact on Bachmann's production of HO Thomas & Friends equipment, currently licensed by HiT??

Len

[BillingsRR]

Bachmann will most likely not be affected at all. Mattel makes toys, not HO trains.

[jettrainfan]

But hit makes the decisions of what is to be made. if its sold to mattel, then they choose:P

[TobyTheTram16]

I hope the they choose to make make Oliver 

[PasqualeCS96]

But wait a second thye make toys, not the actual series. Plus didnt they try to do that but only with a couple of awful barbie movies?

[BillingsRR]

I hope you know HiT was already owned by someone. Their parent company is changing. The parent company to ABC is Disney, now the parent company to HiT is Mattel.

The employees of Thomas & Friends are not changing. They are the ones who okay the products. The big bosses of HiT are also most likely not being replaced. The parent company is just changing, nothing more and nothing less.

[SodorAdventures]

I hope you know HiT was already owned by someone. Their parent company is changing. The parent company to ABC is Disney, now the parent company to HiT is Mattel.

The employees of Thomas & Friends are not changing. They are the ones who okay the products. The big bosses of HiT are also most likely not being replaced. The parent company is just changing, nothing more and nothing less.

    Yeah, guys, If anything it will remain more the same now than ever. When a larger company buys a company, they will keep with what they have now, and not worry about ANYTHING new. They want the company to remain somewhat stable. In the next decade, maybe Thomas will grow. I dont know. I dont think you guys will be too impressed. I wish, but thats just business.

[Cheeky_ULP]

I wouldn't lower or raise my expectations, as far as what plans HiT has had for Thomas' future seasons, they'll more than likely remain the same.

[SodorAdventures]

I wouldn't lower or raise my expectations, as far as what plans HiT has had for Thomas' future seasons, they'll more than likely remain the same.

    Yes, like I said, whatever HIT had planned already, will still be in planning, but guys, I have a strange feeling that we wont have a featre film in 2012, I dont know exactly why, I just dont think Hit, or Mattel, will make one.

[Cheeky_ULP]

I'm pretty sure it was planned for 2014, not 2012.

[SodorAdventures]

I'm pretty sure it was planned for 2014, not 2012.

  No i mean one like DOTD

[ClearwtaerMK2]

Oh,There is another DVD special coming next year & it would involve some sort of king,Also it may be the first DVD special written by adrew brenner.

[BillingsRR]

That King Story is set to come out after the WWII film

[Cheeky_ULP]

That King Story is set to come out after the WWII film

There's no confirmation of that, nor is there confirmation it's about a king.

All we know is there's an 80 episode commission (Season 16 is the final 20), and 4 specials.

[TEngine]

If you got this "King" info from Facebook, i wouldn't trust it, it sounds too similar to the Fireman Sam Special: The Great Fire of PontyPandy

Wait till HiT release the info instead of skipping ahead...