Hollywood can’t seem to make video game movie adaptations work. So why not try a board game instead? That seems to be Sony’s way of thinking, as they are currently in talks for the rights to make a movie based onThe Settlers of Catan. The project is said to be on the fast track and, assuming a first movie goes well, the studio has hopes of turningSettlers of Cataninto a franchise.
Variety was the first to break the news that Sony is working on thisSettlers of Catan movie. Producer Gail Katz first acquired the rights for the game in 2015 and now she is working with Sony to bring the board game to the big screen. Her previous producing credits includePawn Sacrifice,Air Force OneandThe Perfect Storm. Dan Lin (IT) is also on board to produce, alongside Jonathan Erlich. Here’s what Katz had to say about the deal in a statement.
“We’re excited to be working with Sony to bring the iconic world of Catan to life. As huge fans of the game, we’re struck by the endless possibilities of stories that it could inspire. It’s not every day that you have the opportunity to work in a world beloved by millions of people, and expand its story for the screen.”
Blaise Hemingway (Ugly Dolls) has been hired to pen the screenplay for theSettlers of Catanmovie by Sony. As for how he is going to adapt the board game for the big screen? That’s the big question. The premise ofCatanis that several groups arrive after a long voyage on an uncharted island and must settle it. The players then work on building roads, settlements and work their way up to cities. To do so, they have to barter and trade, making the best of the natural resources they have at their disposal.
Bartering: The Movie may not sound like the most exciting idea on paper, but the game is immensely popular and there’s a reason for that. Klaus Teuber createdCatan, which is more commonly calledSettlers of Catan, in 1995. Over the years, the game has sold more than 25 million copies in 38 different languages. It is also credited with helping to usher in the renaissance of tabletop gaming worldwide.
Something as popular asSettlers of Catan, if adapted correctly, has the potential to be huge.Varietydidn’t mention any directors at this time, but if the project truly is beingfast-tracked, some names should be coming up shortly. What’s Peter Jackson up to these days? There also wasn’t any mention of a target release date, but as the project sounds like it’s in the early stages, they probably don’t want to jump the gun. We’ll be sure to keep you up to date as more information on theSettlers of Catanmovie is made available.
