UNO Movie In The Works, Lil Yachty To Possibly Star

Mattel continues pushing into the movie business with a new film based on the UNO card game - with rapper Lil Yachty reportedly being eyed to star. This cinematic take on UNO will apparently take the shape of "a live-action heist comedy," which is "set in the underground hip hop world of Atlanta," according to Deadline's reporting. The script is being written by Marcy Kelly; Yachty is reportedly also producing the project alongside the founders of his Quality Control music label, Kevin "Coach K" Lee and Pierre "P" Thomas, with Brian Sher also producing for Quality Films.

Mattel Films' Robbie Brenner is executive producing UNO, with Kevin McKeon acting as supervising producer. In a statement, Brenner said: "At Mattel Films, we are looking to explore stories that bring our brands to life in unexpected ways," said Brenner. "UNO is a game that transcends generations and cultures and we look forward to partnering with Lil Yachty, as well as with Coach, P and Brian Sher, to transform the classic UNO game into a comedic action adventure."

Lil Yachty also released a statement about his involvement in the project, adding, "I'm so excited to be part of this film with Mattel. I played Uno as a kid and still do today, so to spin that into a movie based on the Atlanta hip hop scene I came out of is really special. It hits close to home for me."

If this concept for an UNO movie sounds pretty out there - take solace in the fact that it is but one of many... unorthodox approaches that Mattel Films is taking in order to turn its toy brands into major feature films. A Magic 8 Ball horror film is in the works at Blumhouse pictures; a Hot Wheels movie (plot unknown) is gaining traction; Margot Robbie's subversive Barbie movie is on the way; and Kevin Smith is rebooting the He-Man franchise with Netflix's Masters Of The Universe animated series. Now we can add action-heist-comedy to the list as well, with UNO.

The UNO card game has been a staple of tabletop and family games since it was first launched in 1971. This year marks the game's 50th anniversary, and announcing this film is just one of the events Mattel has planned for the occasion. A global UNO tournament, massive new production line of the game, and partnerships with famous figures across "art, fashion, sports and more" are all in the works, as well.