http://www.cinematical.com/2007/06/1...onopoly-movie/

Ridley Scott to Make Monopoly Movie?

Posted Jun 18th 2007 4:33PM by Christopher Campbell
Filed under: Casting, RumorMonger, Games and Game Movies
Who knew that toy companies had agents? This is what I wondered earlier this month when Variety reported that Hasbro had switched from CAA to William Morris. Then, it was announced that the switch would lead to a live-action G.I. Joe movie and a "contemporizing" of brands such as Clue, Trivial Pursuit, Ouiji, Candy Land and Monopoly. We've already seen a great movie made out of one of those games (Clue) and the Ouiji board features in countless scary movies. Now there's word from Down Under (their source is the Sunday Times of London) that Monopoly will be made into a major motion picture, and it will actually be directed by the great Ridley Scott. Oh, and it may have a lot of big stars, as Hasbro has been promised by the agency that the movie will feature the cream of the crop of William Morris' talent. According to the article, Scarlett Johansson and Kirsten Dunst have already been offered roles. Hmmm, is today the Australian equivalent of April Fool's Day or something?

I don't doubt that Monopoly could be a movie, but I do wonder if it could be an entertaining one. Despite the fact that the game is the most popular board game in the world, it is also one of the most time-consuming, most unfinished (I'm guessing) and most boring (I'd much rather play Trivial Pursuit or Candy Land). I can only imagine that Monopoly: The Movie would be about 3 hours long and filled with non-cinematic scenes involving lengthy real estate deals. Maybe, just maybe, if they can get Wilfred Brimley as Uncle Pennybags and then adapt the thimble playing piece into cute a CGI character, then I would check it out, but otherwise I just don't see it being any good. Scott, who directed Alien and Blade Runner and Gladiator and Thelma and Louise, for goodness sakes, hopefully has too much else in the pipeline to bother with directing Monopoly (he might only be a producer on the thing), such as another collaboration with Russell Crowe, this one involving Robin Hood, called Nottingham. He also has on his plate Body of Lies (aka Penetration) with Leonardo DiCaprio, a thriller called Child 44 and a western called Blood Meridian. His latest, American Gangster, opens this fall. I guess for a whole lot of money he could be wooed off these great projects for a board game adaptation, but he might want to make sure that money is real. It could be ...

WTF?! No and then no again! Alien, Blade Runner, Black Hawk Down.....Monopoly? Ridley can't be this hard up for cash.

This... is a joke, right?

I call bullshit. He may be looking at a movie called Monopoly, but I doubt it's based on the game.

Tripoli, Blood Meredian, Body of Lies, Nottingham and now Monopoly.

Sure wish Scott was as productive as the Hollywood rumor mill believes him to be.

This seems like a better idea than A Good Year.

Go watch the trailer for "American Gangster" and then get back to us.

If they're "contemporizing" their properties, who's going to do the R rated version of Candyland?

I'm pretty sure he was talking about the quantity of movies that he's working on, not their quality.

You had me at the mental image of Scarlett Johansson going directly to Jail.

Hopefully she'll show off her Community Chest.

Actually there's a more interesting premise that was flying around a few years ago about a guy whose goal was to win a million dollars playing mcdoanld's monopoly. it reminded me of punchdrunk love although i can't remember what the script is called.

I'd like to Park in her Place...

5/5

Actually, I was at a screenwriting seminar in Los Angeles last year and one of the speakers talked about how, back in the early 80s, someone pitched an idea for Monopoly: The Movie. At one point, a major studio was attached and offered it to Mario Puzo to write the screenplay. Supposedly he asked for a million dollars to write it, and the studio turned him down.

Don't know how much truth there is to that story. The guy that told it seemed sort of full of shit about a lot of things....

I'd like to take a ride on her T&A Railroad.

When I pass Go, I'd like to collect her $200...

I've just won a beauty contest - collect $20 from every poster....

i thought ridley scott was a director and left the writing and producing to someone else?

How about a R-Rated version of Operation?

I'm developing a Hungry Hungry Hippos screenplay. Its gonna be bigger than transformers.

Which is being told by a high school student who meet a space rabbit from the future and can go back in time? Hmmm isn't that a remake?

Yeah, but imagine the sex scenes...

"BZZT*
"BZZT*
"BZZT*
"BZZT*"BZZT*"BZZT*
"BZZT*"BZZT*"BZZT*"BZZT*
"BZZT*"BZZT*"BZZT*"BZZT*"BZZT*"BZZT*"BZZT*"BZZT*"BZZT*
"BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT*

^
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No Chance.