Ridley Scott IS Directing 'Monopoly'!
Filed under: Deals, Fandom, Newsstand, Games and Game Movies
Well, it's official: The Hollywood Reporter tells us that Hasbro and Universal are moving forward on that movie based on the Monopoly board game by not only hiring Pamela Pettler (Corpse Bride, Monster House) to write the screenplay, but also by bringing Ridley Scott (who was simply a producer before) on as director. There's no mention of a solid story here yet, but THR does say that Scott plans to give the flick "a futuristic sheen along the lines of his iconic Blade Runner." Apart from Monopoly -- and as mentioned previously on Cinematical -- Universal and Hasbro are also working on adapting other games like Ouija Board and Battleship for the big screen too. But what about Monopoly? Considering the struggling economy and how folks all over the world are losing property, do you think this is the right or wrong time to make a movie like this? I mean, the main point of the board game is to create a monopoly and bankrupt the other players, right? So who, exactly, will we be rooting for? A character by the name of Bill Yates? That said, I do dig the futuristic possibilities, and the comparisons to Blade Runner, so it'll be interesting to see what they end up with. And also, seeing as Pettler's written these family-friendly flicks, I wonder if that will be their direction as well.
Thoughts?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-12-2008 @ 10:15AM
Travis Tidmore said...
Stupid, Stupid, Stupid. Seriously we've sunk so low that we're making movies out of boardgames with no plot? I understand making Clue, because you can make a plot out of that: killer + a weapon + room = easy plot.
But Monopoly? Really people selling property with get out of jail free cards?
What's next Blokus: The Movie? Guess Who?: The Movie?
What about Skip-Bo: The Movie! Everyone is dealt from the deck of fate and whoever fulfills their destiny first and yells "Skip-Bo" Wins!!!!
This is crap.
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11-12-2008 @ 11:01AM
onedollarwilliam said...
I'm not sure how convincing Russell Crowe will be as Uncle Moneybags (what? this is a Ridley Scott movie right?), but I think there might be some potential somewhere in there. A futuristic alegory on corperate greed using the gameboard as a virtual representation of control between two waring factions, or something... maybe.
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11-12-2008 @ 11:03AM
Bill said...
Blade Runner-opoly sounds kind of interesting to me. There are a lot of lousy properties that get made into movies: Transformers, Speed Racer, Star Trek (for the eleventh stinkin' time). But a Monopoly film by Ridley Scott done in the Blade Runner style? I would certainly go see it.
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11-12-2008 @ 11:23AM
spamstratagem said...
Hmmm. Not sure if I'd rather see a remake or a film based on a board game. The beauty of low expectations. . .I guess. Has Hollywood really run out of ideas?
Between RusselI Crowe playing Uncle Moneybags (as onedollarwilliam mentioned) and the potential for McDonald's product placement, this is surely not to be missed.
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11-12-2008 @ 11:51AM
Josh said...
Of course there is a difference between a movie and a board game, but remember, the board game was created during the Depression, the roughest of economic times in America. I think the fact that there is no plot to the game outside the mogul concept allows for myriad possibilities. Sure, a crappy piece of cinema could be churned out, but why are we quick to pan a movie when there's nothing really tethering the plot? With sly nods and references ala the first Pirates movie, it could take a broad concept and develop its own atmospheric feel.
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11-12-2008 @ 12:46PM
Kevin Tostado said...
I'm producing and directing a documentary about the game of Monopoly called "Under the Boardwalk." It will feature interviews with some of the top players from around the world, as well as cover the history of the game and showcase how Monopoly has become such a huge worldwide phenomenon.
You can check out a teaser trailer, some clips from the interviews and follow our progress as filming continues at http://www.MonopolyDocumentary.com
If you are passionate about the game of Monopoly, I urge you to check out our website and email us!
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11-13-2008 @ 12:56PM
William Goss said...
Scott's film has an announced budget of... $200.
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