Movie theaters are littered with movies based on comic books, video games, and even amusement-park rides, so it’s not surprising that studio execs are on the lookout forthe next big nostalgia-laden product to milk. But seriously: Are the boardgames of yesteryear really the blockbusters of the future? Didn’t anyone see Clue?
Apparently, toymakers like Hasbro and Mattel think they can followMarvel’s lead — and with some guidance from the William Morris agency —they’ve announced plans to give classic board games like Candyland and TrivialPursuit the big-screen treatment. TheSunday Times of London has even reported that Ridley Scott will direct a film based on…Monopoly. The game may seem hopelessly old school, but Hasbro wants to sex up its image and is said to be targeting ScarlettJohansson (pictured) and Kirsten Dunst for the lead roles. (They’d just better hope thatHerbie is available, or else they’ll be hard-pressed to find another talkingcar.) I have no idea how the film will turn out, but if it’s anything like the Monopoly games I’m used to, it will mostcertainly end in tears. Also, for some reason I can’t stop thinking, ”Wall St. meets Erin Brockovich meets Jumanji,”which actually sounds pretty incredible.
While it’s easy to dismiss a Monopoly movie as an absurd plea for relevancy from agingtoymakers, I’m sort of intrigued to see what Scott will do with Rich UnclePennybags. Is anyone else at all excited forthis? If Monopoly’s not your style,what other board games could you see working on film?
Comments (1-30) of 73 Add your comment
If it’s anything like *my* Monopoly games, the movie will be 8 hours long. I hope at least the dog is cute.
How the hell do Dunst and Johansson have anything to do with Monopoly? Don’t old rich people fit it better?
So will Scarlett or Kirsten be playing the thimble?
Kirsten will live on Boardwalk and Scarlett will live on Baltic Ave. Or vice versa. As long as I get two hundred dollars everytime I pass the concession stand.
First off…please, lay off “Clue”…Tim Curry delivers! (plus that movie has Madeline Kahn, Michael McKean, Christopher Lloyd, a sexy Leslie Ann Warren etc…nothing wrong with that)
I could see the game of “Life” as a board game…or a really kinetic visually interesting “Chutes and Ladders”
Oh, who are we kidding, this item was just an excuse to post a pic of Scarlett Johansson…and I’m not complaining.
Yeah, leave “Clue” alone. Did you see “Clue”? Wait, let me rephrase that. Did you see the awesomeness that is “Clue”? I love that movie.
With that said, “Monopoly”? Really?
Was that comment of your’s implying Clue wasn’t a good film? REALLY? That has got to be one of the funniest movies ever, it’s a classic. If anything, no other board game could be made so well into a movie like that one was. And please – Madeline Kahn, Tim Curry, Leslie Ann Warren, Christopher Lloyd…you can’t touch that cast. So, really, the question is: Did YOU see Clue?
I’m imagining that the Monopoly characters are going to represent the various game pieces by having the actors using them as accoutrements. Someone will have a dog, another will wear a top hat, one that likes to sew, one that… fires a canon.
Is this movie also going to last like 15 hours?
Awww Elizabeth beat me to it.
“[Hasbro] wants the film to feature ’sexy young people’ in an attempt to attract teenagers to board games.”
So basically it’s going to be an hour and a half long commercial aimed at teenagers. It’s like Mac and Me or the Wizard for the next generation.
Um, Clue rocks my world. It’s a great movie.
Anyway, I think Monopoly would work better as a miniseries on HBO or something. Like Ceballos said, Chutes and Ladders could possibly work.
Here are some of my ideas. Risk (or any strategy related game), Operation (not really a board game, but could be about an inept doctor), Battleship, Hungry Hungry Hippos (something like Lake Placid?), and Payday.
Hey…LAY OFF CLUE! That movie delivers the funny. How can you dislike a movie in which Madeline Khan camps it up?
“Clue” is on of my favorite movies, and I can’t think of anyone I know who has seen it that hasn’t liked it. That said, I’m not that excited about these other ideas. Candyland would be a good kids movie, I guess, but Trivial Pursuit? There’s no story line to that game, it’s a trivia game!
I’m so glad to see my fellow PopWatchers rally around the cinematic comic genius that is “Clue”! I LOVE that freaking movie! I still quote from it all the time…”Flames, flames…on the side of my face.” “Let us in! Let us in!…Let us out! Let us out!”
Actually, I’d rather see Scarlett play strip poker.
Well at least we can look forward to McDonald’s serving up Scarlett Johansson toys in their happy meals if she does sign on for the movie! haha
CLUE is one of the funniest, fun movies out there. Not sure if other board games would fare as well, but don’t knock a great one!
You all know it doesn’t matter what kind of movie it turns out to be, towards the end, someone will accuse the other of stealing money from the bank, and then all the houses and hotels will be scattered everywhere.
I popped into the comments to defend my beloved Clue and lo and behold, tens of people had already jumped to its defense!!! Stand proud Clue fans–and to anyone who criticizes us fans for standing on rooftops and shouting about how fantastic Clue is, all I have to say is: “I’m not shouting! All right, I am. I’m shouting, I’m shouting, I’m shou..”
Love me some Clue…
Coming soon! Yahtzee: The Movie, starring Adam Sandler and Jessica Alba, with a special appearance by Will Ferrell as the letter “P”.
Of course, I didn’t think that a movie based on a theme park ride could work either, and then “Pirates of the Carribean” came along and proved me wrong. And then “Haunted Mansion” came along and proved me right, so I’m not sure where that leaves us.
my vote is for Hi-Ho Cherrio, though I am not sure how trees and cherrios will come into play.
The most important thing about a Monopoly movie is that Scarlett must make one of my nice orange hotels her first stop every time she gets out of jail. I’d even be willing to let her persuade me to float her a deal on the rent.
Actually I could a Monopoly movie working as a fun, screwball comedy a la “Clue” (much love), or (with a different cast) as a drama like “Wall Street” set in the world of real estate speculation.
I like this idea…but I also like the idea of a live-action Jetsons movie. No, seriously, a live action Jetsons movie would be the coolest thing ever. I wish Robert Rodriguez was still making that shoot.
Seriously… no need to hate on Clue!
hooray for all this solidarity on the Clue-front. Also one of my favorite movies…
“one plus one plus two plus one”
Is it April Fool’s Day? Seriously – isn’t this story a joke?
I can’t believe nobody has mention the skit from ‘Robot Chicken’. It starts off saying hollywood ran out of ideas and then showed trailers for Hungry Hungry Hippos, Chutes and Ladders and Candyland. That was to be parody, not a forecast.