Well its official Hollywood has run out big IP's to milk and in an effort to create new content but not wanting to create entirely new properties they are turning to board games. That's right in a world with tons of untapped video game, novel and comic book intellectual properties Hollywood appears interested in board games.
Hasbro being the big beneficiary has defended the move for movies based on games saying people have“shown a great desire for films that bring to life everything that has made these franchise properties stand the test of time. The strategic thinking and the tactical gambles that players must take in the game are what make RISK a classic, thoroughly engaging game. Those elements translated into an action-packed, thrilling story are what will make this a uniquely exciting movie.”
It started with a few films ages ago like Clue and Dungeons and Dragons but board game based films just didn't catch. However within the last year Universal Studios and Sony have pounced on tons of board game properties to turn them into films. These include Ouija, Monopoly, CandyLand, Battleship and Risk as well as a new movie based on Clue with Gore Verbinski. Card game Magic the Gathering is also receiving the big screen treatment.
So is this a good idea and who does it benefit? What can a board game add to Hollywood? Board games lack a singular plot to follow and the concepts the games are built on are being changed for film. I would understand BattleShip and Risk being completely commander based films focusing on their strategic decisions and movements of ships and troops. But the films don't even seem to stick to the board games concepts entirely I mean BattleShip for example is about extra-terrestrials giving a fleet of US ships the fight of their lives. Well aliens have never been a part of BattleShip and the aspect of guessing where the enemy ships are and strategically moving your ships seems to have disappeared from the film.
So it would appear the only reason these films are being made is to take advantage of a bunch of suckers. The film companies are banking that tons of nostalgic fans will watch the movie based on the brand appeal alone. Unlike an established brand the films writers and directors can have virtually limitless freedom as there is no plot to adhere to.
My question is with tons of comic book, novel and video game properties why is Hollywood investing in board games? Hasbro's successes that they point to in several articles about these board games such as GI:Joe and Transformers were actually television shows already or originally. They had well developed plots and characters which viewers had bonded with.
Will this shameless of milking board game IP's be successful? We know Michael Bay is in charge of Ouija can he turn it into a success and if he does will the quality out come of the film really have anything to do with the board game? Why do you think Hollywood is so interested in making movies based on board game properties?
-JC7
"In God We Trust - In Games We Play " - Joel Reimer
