PAWTUCKET – Hasbro Inc. (NYSE: HAS) has selected Bennett Schneir, most recently vice president of creative affairs for ImageMovers Digital, to fill the new position of senior vice president and managing director, motion pictures.

Schneir will serve as the toymaker’s lead creative executive for feature films, focusing on the company’s new six-year strategic partnership with Universal Pictures to create movies based on some of Hasbro’s best-known brands. He will work out of Los Angeles, along with Lisa Licht, who joined Hasbro earlier this year as general manager of entertainment and licensing. (READ MORE)

“Leveraging what we believe to be the best portfolio of brands in the children’s and family entertainment business, our goal is to deliver more fantastic cinematic experiences – similar to what we did, along with DreamWorks and Paramount Pictures, with Transformers,” John Frascotti, Hasbro’s global chief marketing officer, said in a statement last night. “Mr. Schneir is an incredibly talented industry veteran who will collaborate directly with filmmakers and writers to create extraordinary motion pictures.

“Together, Lisa and Bennett will help elevate Hasbro to a whole new level in the entertainment industry.”

Schneir began his career at the Creative Artist Agency. Since joining ImageMovers – filmmaker Robert Zemeckis’ production company – Schneir has worked on a number of major films, including “What Lies Beneath,” “Cast Away,” “The Polar Express,” “Monster House” and “Beowulf.” In his most recent role, as vice president of creative affairs at ImageMovers Digital, he has overseen the company’s creative development efforts and worked with The Walt Disney Co. on many Disney-branded projects.

“Hasbro has an extrordinarily rich and powerful portfolio of brands that has been entertaining millions of people all over the world for generations,” Schneir said in a statement. “It’s very exciting to be joining the company at a time when it is poised to make a significant impact in the entertainment industry by engaging consumers in new immersive ways.”

Hasbro Inc. (NYSE: HAS) is a world leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of traditional and high-tech games and toys under brands including Playskool, Tonka, Milton Bradley, Parker Brothers, Tiger, Wizards of the Coast, Cranium and Trivial Pursuit. Additional information is available at www.hasbro.com.