NEW: Hasbro’s Stretch Armstrong Is Next Film Project

Monday, January 30, 2012

GoLocalProv Features Team

Stretch Armstrong, the iconic 1970s action figure that every kid loved to pull until its arms were freakishly thin, is back in play at the center of a live-action film, it was announced today by Hasbro's President and CEO Brian Goldner, and Relativity Media's Co-President, Tucker Tooley. Relativity will partner with Hasbro to develop and produce the tent-pole film based on Stretch Armstrong. 

The film was originally in development at Universal Pictures, and heartthrob Taylor Lautner was attached to the project. Relativity will be the domestic distributor and will release the film internationally through its network of foreign output partners. The film is targeted for an April 11, 2014 release date.

Powerful allies

The film will be produced by Relativity's CEO, Ryan Kavanaugh (The Fighter), Hasbro's Goldner (Transformers) and Bennett Schneir, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Motion Pictures (Battleship). Tooley (Immortals) will serve as executive producer.

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Hasbro has become an entertainment powerhouse by creating hit movies and television shows from its rich portfolio of world class brands. Since 2007, Hasbro's Transformers and G.I. Joe franchises have grossed nearly $3 billion at the worldwide box office. 2012 is shaping up to be another stellar year for Hasbro with its partners Universal Pictures releasing Battleship in April and Paramount Pictures releasing G.I. Joe: Retaliation in June. In television, Hasbro Studios produces shows like Transformers Prime and My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic that can be seen on the HUB television network in the U.S. and in more than 140 countries globally.

"We are absolutely thrilled to partner with Hasbro, a company whose global reach and ability to innovate has made them immensely successful in the arena of brand re-imagination-- as evidenced by their legacy of creating such franchises as Transformers and G.I. Joe," said Tooley, "We look forward to bringing Stretch Armstrong to audiences worldwide."

The power of Stretch Armstrong

"Stretch Armstrong is a great example of Hasbro's rich portfolio of intellectual properties that we are continuing to develop globally," said Goldner, "We are excited to partner with Relativity on this movie as they are a growing and innovative studio."

Stretch Armstrong is the classic action hero figure first launched by Hasbro in 1976 and re-launched in the 90's, sold successfully throughout North America and in markets across the world. The original Stretch's unique design broke free of traditional action figures, as he could be stretched over and over and always returned back to his original size. The nostalgic toy is considered to be rare and collectible to this day.

Relativity recently released Oscar(R)-winner Steven Soderbergh's dynamic action-thriller Haywire in theatres. Looking ahead, Relativity will release the heart-pounding Navy SEAL action-thriller Act of Valor (in theatres February 24, 2012) and magical adventure comedy Mirror Mirror (in theatres March 16, 2012), starring Oscar(R)-winner Julia Roberts, Lily Collins, Nathan Lane, and Armie Hammer. The studio just wrapped production on the comedy 21 and Over and is currently in pre-production on Nicholas Sparks' gripping love story Safe Haven and the international espionage thriller Hunter Killer.

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