After years in development limbo, Lionsgate has finally figured out the missing ingredient in its Monopoly movie: Margot Robbie.
During the studio’s presentation at CinemaCon (via Variety), Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson announced that the company is partnering with LuckyChap, Margot Robbie’s banner with producers Tom Ackerley and Josie McNamara, to bring Monopoly to the big screen following the blockbuster success of Barbie. Fogelson said that LuckyChap has “a clear point of view” for a live-action adaptation of Monopoly, Hasbro’s massively popular board game, which pits players against each other in a capitalist simulation to see who can acquire the most real estate and cash before mom gets too wine-drunk.
“Monopoly is a top property—pun fully intended,” said LuckyChap in an official statement. “Like all of the best IP, this game has resonated worldwide for generations, and we are so excited to bring this game to life alongside the wonderful teams involved at Lionsgate and Hasbro.”
LuckyChap, which is also developing a movie based on prolific video game franchise The Sims, has apparently found its niche. It all makes a certain kind of cynical sense: studios are always trying to capitalize on existing IP; when one movie blows up, they start shoving as many eggs as they can in that specific basket. In this case, Margot Robbie and LuckyChap delivered an immensely successful and satisfying take based on one of the most iconic toys in the world, and now everyone wants to replicate that model. Studios have been trying to figure out how to adapt board games and toys into movies for decades to varying degrees of success, mostly on the flop end of the spectrum. All it takes is one winner, as was the case with Marvel Studios, for every other studio to follow suit.
Good for LuckyChap and Margot Robbie, but I really wish they’d take the advice Cord Jefferson shared when he accepted his Oscar for American Fiction.
(featured image: Justin Sullivan, Getty Images)
