The classic board game Monopoly is on the verge of having a big media moment and resurgence. Not only is there a Monopoly movie in the works from Margot Robbie, but now a reality competition series based on the game has landed on Netflix. News about the reality series broke via Deadline. The streaming giant has had quite a bit of success with reality competition shows based on famous IPs lately. Shows like The Golden Ticket, based on the world of Willy Wonka, for example. Also, the recent Squid Game reality competition series, based on their own scripted TV series.
The synopsis from Hasbro for the forthcoming Monopoly competition series describes it as “A large-scale social-experiment contest. Strategy, alliances, and cutthroat competition will collide as contestants battle for fortune and navigate the fine line between capitalism and chaos. Players will test their friendships, acquire riches, and try to own it all by any means necessary.” Hasbro has found success turning other iconic board games into competition shows, like Scrabble and Trivial Pursuit. But perhaps no board game has as much name-brand recognition as Monopoly does. Hasbro absorbed the rights to Monopoly back in 1991.
The original Monopoly board game first hit store shelves exactly 90 years ago, in 1935, from game company Parker Brothers. It was an instant success, capturing the attention of adults and children alike. It has since gone on to sell a staggering 275 million copies around the world. It’s also been translated into dozens of languages. Elements of the game have made their way into the English language vernacular, such as “Get out of jail free card.” There are few board games that can claim that level of pop cultural penetration. There’s no word yet as to when the Monopoly series will go into production, or when the show will drop on Netflix.
Content shared from nerdist.com.