Sony triples down on Hasbro with Tonka

Associated Press photoTaylor Kitsch, left, and Rihanna are shown in a scene from "Battleship." 'Battleship, a Universal Pictures movie based on the Hasbro Inc. board game, has survived an armada of tomato-throwing critics and chugged to $170 million in ticket sales overseas. The haul goes part way to justifying the reported $209-million price tag, but after subtracting splits with theater owners, it is estimated to need about half a billion at box offices to turn a profit. With a fleet of other hotly expected blockbusters surrounding its U.S. release on May 18, the tides need to be solidly in its favor to stay above water.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The battering of “Battleship” at the box office hasn’t scared Sony away from Hasbro toys.

The studio is tripling down on its strategy of making movies based on playthings. On Monday, it announced it would make a movie called “Tonka” based on the 65-year-old Tonka truck line of toys.

Sony is also developing movies based on Hasbro Inc. board games “Risk” and “Candy Land.”

“Tonka” will be an animated movie co-produced by Sony Corp.’s Sony Pictures, Hasbro and Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions.

Universal Pictures’ “Battleship,” based on the Hasbro hunt-and-destroy board game, crashed on its U.S. debut May 18, coming second in a weekend dominated by “The Avengers” in its third weekend of release.

“Battleship” has so far grossed about $295 million worldwide, not enough to cover its costs.