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Originally Posted by Crazy Jetty

For shame on us both for overlooking a significant fact.
The fact that unlike with the marvel movie lines, it seems if anything turns up in the TF movie line if becomes co-owned by the studios (Assuming the mold didn't appear anywhere else first). The studios own the likeness rights to the distinct style for the robots, as well as the setting. So, in the past if Hasbro *had* used this the way they use the Ironman and Wolverine movie, then they would automatically lose the ability to reuse the mold outside of future movie lines. Had they stuck in a true Neo G1 Jazz in the first movie to supplement the defunct Classics line, then they could never use it in Universe as Stepper. And Botcon could never use it for G2 Jazz.
Though, this seems to be changing with Reveal the Shield in ways that I'm sort of unsure about. And some of the latter RotF toys like Bludgeon don't quite seem off limits.

Good point, though I think it only applies to characters that actually appeared in the films and even then, they would be co-owned since it's Hasbro's IP. Also, I wouldn't think the studios could lay any claim to off-screen/supplemental characters like Bludgeon. Otherwise, the entire ROTF line would be co-owned by Paramount and I'm pretty sure Hasbro is business-savvy enough to avoid that pitfall.

If anything, Paramount probably gets residuals from toy sales just as Hasbro gets residuals from ticket/DVD sales.

Also, GM and Shelby get a piece of the action any time one of their vehicle likenesses is the alt mode for a toy.