Margot Robbie is producing a Monopoly movie. She will pass Go. (She will collect way more than $200.)
The film was announced today at CinemaCon, the annual industry event dedicated to hyping the upcoming studio blockbusters coming to movie theaters in the months ahead.
The seeds for this project were planted just a few months ago, when Lionsgate purchased the film studio eOne from its parent company Hasbro — who are also the manufacturers of the Monopoly board game. When that sale was finalized Lionsgate specifically mentioned that in acquiring eOne they had also acquired the rights to some Hasbro properties, including Monopoly.
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Robbie’s involvement as producer is a new wrinkle, but attempts have been made to turn Monopoly into a film franchise for years. Back in 2019, it was reported that Kevin Hart was going to star in a Monopoly movie. (It wasn’t revealed who he would play, or if he was portraying Mr. Pennybags (AKA the old guy who serves as Monopoly’s mascot).
Nor is it clear whether Robbie will star in the film in addition to producing it, as she did with last year’s massive toy-based hit, Barbie. The announcement of the project did not include an announcement of its premise. At CinemaCon, Lionsgate’s Adam Fogelson did sasy that Robbie’s team has “a clear point of view” on Monopoly.
That seems like a silly thing to say about a movie based on a game where you charge your relatives rent until they get furious and flip the board and refuse to speak to you for the rest of the night, but you know what? Robbie really did bring a point of view to Barbie. So if anyone deserves the benefit of the doubt while making a film based on a toy, it is her.
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Gallery Credit: Claire Epting
