Monopoly Movie: Is Kevin Hart’s Movie Finally Happening After Lionsgate’s Latest Acquisition?
Monopoly is one of the most iconic board games ever. A film adaptation of this fan-favorite board game has been in development for more than ten years but has not managed to materialize as of yet. The movie has also switched multiple studios and directors over the years. However, it seems as though it might finally be able to escape the developmental hell it has been in.
There was a flicker of hope for some development of the movie in 2019 when it was reported that comedian Kevin Hart would be starring in the Monopoly film. Things went silent again, which led people to think that the project might have been shelved. Now, as we are almost at the end of the year, Lionsgate has made a surprising announcement regarding the movie.
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Lionsgate Has Acquired Development Rights to Monopoly
Recently, Lionsgate announced that their acquisition of the eOne from former parent company Hasbro has been finalized. Lionsgate has acquired eOne for $375 million cashing the assumption of production financing loans. This acquisition has added 6,500 movies and TV shows to Lionsgate’s catalog. Additionally, this has also given the company the development rights to Hasbro’s Monopoly.
In early August, Hasbro had said that the Board of Directors of both companies had approved the transaction. Back then, Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks expressed their plans on working on a Monopoly movie (via Deadline), saying:
“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.”
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When Hasbro bought eOne for $4 billion in 2019, it had been split into three parts, namely Music, Family Brands, Film, and TV. The music business was sold to a private equity firm in 2021, and Hasbro has rolled out the Family Brands into its brand licensing and merchandising operation.
Is Kevin Hart Still Attached to Monopoly‘s Film Adaptation?
Universal Studios was the first studio that Hasbro had joined hands with for the film adaptation of the beloved board game. At the time, Ridley Scott was tapped to direct the movie. However, the studios did not proceed with the project. Emmett/Furla Films was the next studio that agreed to work on the project with Scott.
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As fate would have it, this deal too fell through. This was when Lionsgate came into the picture in the year of 2015. At the time, Golden Globe-nominated scriptwriter Andrew Niccol (The Truman Show) was attached to the project as the writer. A couple of years later, Kevin Hart and director Tim Story (director of Think Like a Man) also got involved with the project. It has been dormant since then.
As of now, there is no confirmation regarding the involvement of Hart and Story with the Monopoly movie. Hopefully, the next year will bring fans more information on the adaptation.
