Following the phenomenal success of Barbie, Mattel has quickly been greenlighting new movies based on its product line, among a film slate that includes a J.J. Abrams Hot Wheels movie and a Daniel Kaluya “A24 style” Barnie the Dinosaur movie. However, one that sticks out like a sore thumb, which has actually been in the works for a while, is a feature-length film based on the Monopoly board game.
Now, films based on board games are nothing new; just look at 1958’s Clue or the terrible Battleship movie from 2012. There are even films based on fake board games, like the legendary Jumanji and the incredibly underrated Zathura. However, something about a Monopoly movie strikes a lot of people as an odd choice of product to adapt into a film.
The resurgence of the project comes after eOne (the entertainment company with the film rights to the product) was purchased by Lionsgate just the other day. In a statement, Lionsgate said:
Lionsgate’s management team is experienced in entertainment and adept at driving value, and we’re glad to have found such a good home for our eOne film & TV business. We look forward to partnering with them, especially on a movie adaptation of Monopoly.
eOne also owns the rights to Peppa Pig, Power Rangers, My Little Pony: Pony Life, and the Transformers franchise.
A Monopoly game was in the works a few years ago with Kevin Hart attached to star in the project. However, that movie was ultimately shelved. No details have currently been shared about the planned movie.
