They’re Making a Monopoly Movie and It Might Be Good for One Big Reason

At first glance, the board game Monopoly does not sound like it could be the source material for a great film, but the upcoming movie adaptation just got an exciting update that suggests it’ll be of high quality. According to Deadline, John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, the duo behind films such as Game Night and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, have signed on to write the Monopoly script. The film appears to still be in the earliest stages of development, as it is currently without a director and there is no cast attached. Monopoly does not have an official release date, and it’s unknown when Lionsgate is hoping to start production.

Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap production label is producing Monopoly alongside Hasbro Entertainment. Lionsgate Motion Picture Group co-president Erin Westerman shared her enthusiasm about Daley and Goldstein’s involvement. “We knew LuckyChap would be a beacon for the best talent in town, and Lionsgate & Hasbro are thrilled that Goldstein & Daley have decided to join the fun,” she said. “We’ve been long-time admirers of their work—telling bold, original, intelligent stories for all audiences. They are the perfect architects for this franchise.”

A film adaptation of Monopoly has been in the works for a while; at various times, filmmakers ranging from Tim Story to Ridley Scott were in line to direct. This current iteration Daley and Goldstein are now attached to took a significant step forward in 2023 when Lionsgate purchased Entertainment One from Hasbro. That transaction was accompanied by the news that the two parties were going to collaborate on Monopoly.

[RELATED – I Need a Sequel to Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves]

Debuting in 1935, Monopoly has remained one of the most popular board games for decades. Several variations of it have been published over the years, oftentimes tapping into the zeitgeist. Recent versions include one based on the Harry Potter franchise and another based on Best Picture nominee Wicked.

While some people may look at Monopoly through a cynical lens, Daley and Goldstein signing on is reason to be encouraged. Game Night and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves were both very well-received, as the pair managed to craft entertaining films that put a fresh spin on concepts that might have faltered in other hands. In particular, those movies were notable for featuring standout ensemble casts, illustrating Daley and Goldstein’s deftness at creating fun group dynamics and characters. It’ll be interesting to see how they handle Monopoly; their involvement suggests it won’t be a boring, straightforward adaptation. They should be able to find a unique angle to tackle, adding Monopoly to the ever-growing list of Hollywood’s fascinating IP adaptations.

Robbie serving as producer is another reason to be excited about Monopoly‘s prospects. She already has experience making an atypical adaptation of a beloved property in 2023’s Barbie. Rather than being a mere toy commercial, Barbie used its source material as a means to explore heady concepts about society and finding your place in the world, becoming a critically acclaimed box office hit in the process. There’s still a lot of work to be done on Monopoly before we can tell if it’ll reach those heights, but the film is off to a good start. With this foundation in place, the project should be able to attract even more top tier talent.