Hasbro launches Unscripted TV division led by Sony’s Zach Edwin

Hasbro Entertainment has launched an unscripted television division, which will be led by newly hired development manager and producer Zach Edwin. Edwin joins Hasbro after most recently working for the Intellectual Property Corporation, part of Sony Pictures Television – Nonfiction.

The unscripted division already has several projects in production and others in development at various networks. Among the upcoming titles are game show adaptations of “Trivial Pursuit” hosted by LeVar Burton and “Scrabble” hosted by Raven-Symoné. Both programs were developed in partnership with Lionsgate with key creative contributions from Hasbro’s Steven Gelberg and premiere on October 3 on the CW.

Hasbro is also working on TV formats with the Monopoly and Nerf brands and on a new version of the board game Clue in collaboration with SPTNF.

In his new role, Edwin will oversee the expansion of Hasbro’s unscripted slate, as well as its partnerships with Lionsgate and other talent, studios and distributors. He will report to Gabriel Marano, head of TV.

At IPC and SPTNF, Edwin worked on unscripted series including ‘Selena + Chef’ on Max, ‘Indian Matchmaking’ on Netflix, ‘Top Secret Videos’ with Ron Funches on TruTV. “Pokemon: Trainer Tour” on Amazon Prime Video and the YouTube original series “How To: Olympics and Mind Field,” as well as projects for Discovery, National Geographic, Food Network and more.

“Hasbro Entertainment is committed to working with the best in the industry to bring our beloved and iconic brands to life. Zach is ideally suited to help us build an unscripted division that fits Hasbro’s iconic history and portfolio,” Marano said in a statement. “He brings a wealth of experience in shepherding large, unscripted projects to screen for top partners. With several major projects coming soon, we look forward to delighting a broad audience with shows that are as fun and exciting as the worlds they draw from.”

“Hasbro Entertainment is positioned to be a true leader in the unscripted space, with an amazing collection of historic, globally popular brands to create high-quality content for a global audience,” said Edwin. “I look forward to working with Gabe and the rest of the Hasbro Entertainment team, as well as top partners like Lionsgate and my former colleagues at SPTNF, to seize the tremendous opportunity ahead.”