The long-gestating Monopoly movie may finally pass "Go" as Lionsgate has acquired eOne from Hasbro for approximately $500 million.
The deal, which should close by the end of the year, has officially put the big-screen adaptation of Monopoly back in play, as Lionsgate will now secure film development rights for Hasbro's beloved board game. Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks said the company "looks forward to partnering" with Lionsgate on the project.
"This sale fully aligns with our strategy, and we are pleased to bring the process to a successful close," he said in a statement. "Lionsgate's management team is experienced in entertainment and adept at driving value, and we're glad to have found such a good home for our eOne film & TV business. We look forward to partnering with them, especially on a movie adaptation of Monopoly."
Talks of a Monopoly movie have been circulating since 2007 when Ridley Scott expressed his interest in directing a comedy-thriller based on the game. The project moved along steadily, with various development updates and several script drafts over the years - including one particularly promising pitch from Frank Beddor.
Despite his best efforts to line up the pieces, Scott didn't manage to get the project off the ground. However, things were set in motion again in 2015 when Lionsgate and Hasbro teamed up to bring Monopoly to the silver screen, with Gattaca's Andrew Niccol attached to write the screenplay for the "film for all ages."
More recently, in 2019, Tim Story came on board to direct his long-time collaborator Kevin Hart in the live-action caper, but the project then sat dormant for years. However, it seems like Lionsgate will take another chance on the Monopoly movie and prioritise its development following the sale of eOne, so watch this space.
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.
