Netflix officially greenlit the reality series based on the Monopoly board game, and a $2 million prize is on the line.
The streamer has begun casting the 12 contestants who will compete in a “life-sized” Monopoly Town, Deadline reported.
“…they’ll have the opportunity to earn money, buy properties, negotiate deals and hopefully stay out of jail. (No word if winning second prize in a beauty contest will still earn $10),” Netflix’s logline reads. “One by one, bankrupt players will be eliminated while others build their empire — until the one person left standing takes it all.”
The series comes from Studio Lambert and the production house’s Nia Yemoh, Tim Harcourt, Jack Burgess, Stephen Lambert and Kim Murphy, who serve as executive producers. Gabriel Marano and Zachary Edwin executive produce for Hasbro Entertainment.
Netflix secured the rights to Monopoly from Hasbro last year.
“Exec Jeff Gaspin shared that he wanted to buy the project without even hearing a pitch due to how lucrative the mobile board game, Monopoly Go!, has become over the years,” CBR reported.
Deadline said that 50 other companies competed for production rights before Studio Lambert landed the deal.
Related: Will Monopoly Finally Make It to the Big Screen?
MONOPOLY is slated for a fall 2027 release and joins Netflix’s growing lineup of unscripted book and board game adaptations.
WONKA’S THE GOLDEN TICKET, inspired by Roald Dahl’s book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, premieres Sept. 23.
It sees 12 golden ticket winners, plus a partner of their choosing, enter Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.
“Once inside, delicious mischief awaits, as the players must navigate a series of Wonka’s temptations and challenges, which are designed to push them physically, mentally, and morally,” the logline explains. “Players will journey through the factory’s wondrous and unpredictable landscape, while proving they have the instincts, resilience and character to thrive in chaos.”
A surprising addition? The series features the re-created voice of Gene Wilder, who starred as the iconic candyman in the 1971 movie, with the consent of his estate.
“More than five decades after Gene brought Willy Wonka to life, people of all ages and backgrounds around the world continue to find joy, laughter and inspiration in his performance,” said Karen B. Wilder, Wilder’s wife, on behalf of the Gene Wilder Estate. “Gene had a remarkable ability to bring humor, wonder and heart into people’s lives, and that connection has endured for generations. We are delighted that Wonka’s The Golden Ticket celebrates the warmth and imagination that he brought to the role, introducing that magic to a new generation while honoring the fans who have cherished it for decades.”
Rusty Goffe, who played an Oompa Loompa in the 1971 movie, will also make an appearance.
Netflix is also developing a slate of scripted and unscripted projects based on the board game The Settlers of Catan. No official release dates for those projects have been announced.
Read Next: Netflix to Bring Popular Catan Card Game to the Small Screen
Questions or comments? Please write to us here.
