Many had presumed the idea of making a movie version of Monopoly was dead. While it was announced ages ago, there’s been little word on it since, and with many game-to-film adaptations that have been set up at Universal, such as Ouija, foundering or having severe problems, it was presumed Monopoly was also dead-in-the-water after the studio dropped it.
That doesn’t seem to be true though, it’s just that they’re taking a long time developing it (perhaps because producer/director Ridley Scott, who’s shepherding the project – has so much else on his plate). Now THR reports that screenwriters Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (who co-wrote Ed Wood) have come aboard to write Monopoly.
While the movie doesn’t currently have a studio home, Hasbro, which makes the board games, is funding the development of these projects. Although a risky strategy in some respects, it would put them in a stronger bargaining position if they can get a strong script and big talent attached before they go back to Hollywood to find a studio partner.
Monopoly still seems a tough thing to turn into a successful movie, but Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner seems to have confiedence, saying a few months ago, “Monopoly is still happening, and we’re developing a great story. It’s a very fun take. Ridley Scott is still the perfect creative steward, because he creates these great, fictionalised worlds. It’s going to be a very fun story to tell. It’s a very human and personal story. It’s not really Wall Street, not at all. It’s a fictionalised story of a family, and there’s a lot of intrigue in the story. Suffice it to say, it’s a story about a family with a history, and we’re projecting that into current times. But it’s not Wall Street. It’s more about property ownership and of the play-pattern of the game.”
Hmm, I’m still not convinced, but perhaps they can work wonders and make a great film.