Margot Robbie’s Next Film Project Brings One of the World’s Most Popular Board Games to Life

Margot Robbie.

We see a theme developing here—on the heels of the groundbreaking success of last year’s Barbie, Margot Robbie’s next project will yet again take us into our childhood toy box. This time, it’s for a live-action film rendition of the real estate-inspired board game Monopoly; just as Mattel was involved with the Barbie film, Monopoly’s backers, Hasbro Entertainment, will be a part of the film, as well.

Robbie runs her production company LuckyChap with her husband, Tom Ackerley. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Variety reports that Monopoly is the world’s most popular board game brand, with a staggering 99 percent global awareness. The game is available in more than 100 countries worldwide, and has sold nearly half a billion copies going back to 1935.

But will the movie last an agonizing four hours, like some of my family's Monopoly games? (Image credit: Getty Images)

“It’s unclear how Robbie and company plan to spin a narrative story from the two-dimensional world of Monopoly,” Variety writes. “Who will portray the game’s mascot, Rich Uncle Pennybags? Will they pass Go? Will they collect $200?” Skeptics had the same line of questioning about Barbie—how will they turn the famous doll into a film?—and, well, that seemed to turn out okay. ($1.4 billion made at the global box office is proof of that.) In addition to starring in the film, Robbie’s production company LuckyChap also produced Barbie, and it will produce Monopoly, as well.

It has become a running trend for Robbie to bring leisurely pastimes to the big screen, like Barbie dolls and simulation video games and, now, board games. (Image credit: Getty Images)

LuckyChap will work with Lionsgate on Monopoly, and Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson said that Robbie and her team have “a clear point of view” when it comes to the upcoming movie, and added that Monopoly is “what we all believe can be their next blockbuster.” Fogelson made the announcement about the forthcoming film at CinemaCon, the annual movie theater trade show currently taking place in Las Vegas. Upon hearing the news about the Monopoly movie, “a packed house of cinema owners in the Colosseum at Caesars Palace loudly cheered at the news,” Variety reports.

It's unclear as of yet whether Robbie will star in the film or stay behind the camera as a producer. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Following the massive success of last year's "Barbie," Robbie seems keen to take risks in what projects she chooses to bring to life. (Image credit: Getty Images)

“Monopoly is a top property—pun fully intended,” LuckyChap said in a statement. “Like all of the best IP [intellectual property], this game has resonated worldwide for generations, and we are so excited to bring this game to life alongside the wonderful teams involved at Lionsgate and Hasbro.”

In addition to the past success of Barbie and the future project of Monopoly, LuckyChap is also developing a movie adaptation of the life simulation video game The Sims.