The domain’s film section
Movies Based on Board Games
Movies based on board games include the 1985 comedy Clue, the 2012 Battleship movie and the Ouija horror films. Monopoly, Candy Land and Uno are still waiting for a green light. Each entry lists the studio, year and latest sourced status.
- 20 films
- 11 released
- 9 in the pipeline
- From 1985
- 10 chess films
Roll for initiative: here are films that began on a game board.
This page covers the film side of board game movies. It lists every feature film we could confirm as based on a board game, card game, or tabletop role-playing game, followed by projects still in development. For games based on films, check the franchise guides, including the Jumanji board game page.
Status dates matter. A film announced in 2012 isn’t news anymore.
Every film based on a board game, listed by year
Released films appear first, in order from oldest to newest. Dates and studios are taken from each film’s own reference page.
Clue shipped with three endings. Which one did your theater get?
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1985Released
Clue
Jonathan Lynn’s comedy mystery traps six suspects in a mansion with Tim Curry as butler Wadsworth. It grossed about 14.6 million USD against a 15 million budget, then found a cult following.
Fun fact: Theaters showed one of three different endings. Home releases include all three, with only the third presented as the true solution.
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1995Released
Jumanji
Robin Williams and Kirsten Dunst star in this jungle comedy, still the go-to reference for a Jumanji board game movie. It grossed about 263 million USD worldwide on a budget of about 65 million.
Fun fact: The book has a standalone follow-up, Zathura, which got its own film in 2005.
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2000Released
Dungeons & Dragons
Courtney Solomon directed the game’s first live-action film, released on December 8, 2000. It earned about 33.8 million USD worldwide and was panned, with 9 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Fun fact: This was Solomon’s first feature as a director.
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2005Released
Dungeons & Dragons: Wrath of the Dragon God
Gerry Lively directed this sequel, which premiered on the Sci-Fi Channel on October 10, 2005, before reaching DVD in February 2006.
Fun fact: It was made for television and home video, not a theatrical release.
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2005Released
Candy Land: The Great Lollipop Adventure
So far, this is the only Candy Land movie: an animated direct-to-video film. A gingerbread boy named Jib follows Rainbow Road to the Sweet Celebration as Lord Licorice plots to turn the land licorice-colored.
Fun fact: Teacher Eleanor Abbott designed the game while recovering from polio.
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2005Released
Zathura: A Space Adventure
This is the Josh Hutcherson board game movie, and the best-known space board game movie. Hutcherson and Jonah Bobo play brothers whose basement game launches their house into outer space. Jon Favreau directed.
Fun fact: Favreau discouraged people from calling it a Jumanji sequel, though both books have the same author.
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2012Released
Battleship
Peter Berg directed the Battleship movie, which pits a naval fleet against alien ships. Described as loosely based on the game, it grossed about 303 million USD worldwide on a 209 to 220 million budget.
Fun fact: Hasbro released a movie edition of the board game featuring alien vessels and a card-based play mode.
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2012Released
Dungeons & Dragons: The Book of Vile Darkness
Gerry Lively's third D&D film arrived on UK DVD on August 9, 2012, then premiered on Syfy in the US on November 24, 2012.
Fun fact: Like the 2005 film, it skipped theaters.
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2014Released
Ouija
Stiles White directed this horror film, produced by Platinum Dunes, Blumhouse Productions and Hasbro Studios. It opened on October 24, 2014, and earned about 103.6 million USD worldwide on a 5 to 8 million budget.
Fun fact: The Ouija board was patented in 1891. Hasbro holds the trademark today.
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2016Released
Ouija: Origin of Evil
Mike Flanagan directed this 1967 Los Angeles prequel, which opened on October 21, 2016. Critics liked it more than the first film: it scored 83 percent on Rotten Tomatoes from 126 reviews.
Fun fact: Audiences were less convinced: CinemaScore gave it a C.
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2023Released
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez lead a heist through the Forgotten Realms. The film opened on March 31, 2023, earned about 208.2 million USD worldwide on a 150 million budget, and scored 91 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Fun fact: Directors Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley also made Game Night.
Released films tell only part of the story. Several game adaptations have been announced over the years, and many stall, so each status below has a date. Test your knowledge of the latest news with our movie trivia games quiz, which includes the Catan and Monopoly announcements.
Board game movies in development
The projects below have been announced but not released. Each status includes the date of the latest report we found, so anything over a year old may be stale.
Status dates matter. A film announced in 2012 isn’t news anymore.
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2012In development
Candy Land (live-action)
Adam Sandler has been linked to the live-action Candy Land movie for more than a decade. A report dated May 21, 2026 still calls it stuck in development limbo, with no confirmed studio, director or release date.
Fun fact: The January 2012 announcement named Kevin Lima as director.
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2024In development
Monopoly
Announced in April 2024, the Monopoly movie has Margot Robbie's LuckyChap producing. A May 21, 2026 report says the live-action heist comedy is in the scripting phase. John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein were reported as writers in March 2025. No director or date is set.
Fun fact: Netflix is also developing a separate unscripted Monopoly series.
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2024In development
Clue (new film)
Sony's deal with Hasbro, reported on April 23, 2024, covers a new Clue for film and television. A May 21, 2026 roundup lists Ryan Reynolds' Maximum Effort as producer. No cast, director or release date has been announced.
Fun fact: An earlier version with Reynolds at 20th Century never made it to the screen.
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2025In development
Magic: The Gathering
Hasbro and Legendary announced a live-action film in February 2025. As of May 21, 2026, it was still in early development with no production schedule. Matt Johnson was named as the slated director.
Fun fact: It's a card game, not a board game, but it's in the same Hasbro film pipeline.
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2025In development
Catan
Netflix acquired exclusive global rights in a deal reported on October 22, 2025. It covers live-action and animated films, plus scripted and unscripted series. Roy Lee of Vertigo Entertainment is a producer; no dates or casting are public.
Fun fact: Sony was reportedly pursuing a Settlers of Catan movie back in 2017.
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2026In development
The Game of Life
Hasbro announced on March 18, 2026 that a Game of Life feature is in development at Amazon MGM Studios. Sean Anders is directing from an Allan Loeb script. Plot details are under wraps, and no release date is set.
Fun fact: Anders also produces, alongside Hasbro's Zev Foreman and Chernin Entertainment.
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2009Announced
Risk
Sony Pictures acquired the film rights from Hasbro in November 2009, with Overbrook Entertainment attached. No film followed. The later Risk project was a TV series with Beau Willimon, reported in January 2021.
Fun fact: Some critics at the time pointed out that Risk has no characters or universe to build on.
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2012Announced
Hungry Hungry Hippos
Hasbro announced an animated family film in 2012 as part of a three-film deal with Emmett/Furla, alongside Monopoly and Action Man. No later report turned up, so the project appears dormant.
Fun fact: Producers hoped to keep each of the three films under 100 million USD.
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2021Announced
Uno
Mattel Films announced the Uno movie on February 4, 2021, as a live-action heist comedy. Lil Yachty was reported to star and produce, with Marcy Kelly writing. No later update has surfaced, so its current status is unconfirmed.
Fun fact: It was one of several films based on games and toys Mattel announced in 2021.
Films at a glance
| Film | Year | Studio | Based on | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clue | 1985 | Paramount Pictures | Cluedo/Clue (Waddingtons in the UK, Parker Brothers in the US) | released |
| Jumanji | 1995 | TriStar Pictures | Chris Van Allsburg's 1981 picture book Jumanji features a fictional board game. | released |
| Dungeons & Dragons | 2000 | New Line Cinema | Dungeons & Dragons, the tabletop role-playing game | released |
| Dungeons & Dragons: Wrath of the Dragon God | 2005 | Studio Hamburg Worldwide Pictures and Zinc Entertainment | Dungeons & Dragons, the tabletop role-playing game | released |
| Candy Land: The Great Lollipop Adventure | 2005 | SD Entertainment with Hasbro | Candy Land (Milton Bradley, 1949) | released |
| Zathura: A Space Adventure | 2005 | Columbia Pictures and Radar Pictures | Chris Van Allsburg's 2002 picture book Zathura features a fictional science fiction board game. | released |
| Battleship | 2012 | Universal Pictures | Battleship (Hasbro) | released |
| Dungeons & Dragons: The Book of Vile Darkness | 2012 | After Dark Films and Zinc Entertainment | Dungeons & Dragons, the tabletop role-playing game | released |
| Ouija | 2014 | Universal Pictures | Ouija (Hasbro) | released |
| Ouija: Origin of Evil | 2016 | Universal Pictures | Ouija (Hasbro), as a prequel to the 2014 film | released |
| Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves | 2023 | Paramount Pictures | Dungeons & Dragons, set in the Forgotten Realms | released |
| Candy Land (live-action) | 2012 | Columbia Pictures, Happy Madison and Hasbro (2012 announcement) | Candy Land (Milton Bradley) | in development |
| Monopoly | 2024 | Lionsgate with LuckyChap and Hasbro | Monopoly (Hasbro) | in development |
| Clue (new film) | 2024 | Sony's TriStar Pictures with Hasbro Entertainment | Clue (Hasbro) | in development |
| Magic: The Gathering | 2025 | Legendary Entertainment with Hasbro | Magic: The Gathering (Wizards of the Coast trading card game) | in development |
| Catan | 2025 | Netflix with Asmodee | Catan (originally The Settlers of Catan) | in development |
| The Game of Life | 2026 | Amazon MGM Studios with Chernin Entertainment and Hasbro | The Game of Life (Hasbro) | in development |
| Risk | 2009 | Sony Pictures | Risk (Hasbro) | announced |
| Hungry Hungry Hippos | 2012 | Hasbro with Emmett/Furla Films | Hungry Hungry Hippos (Hasbro) | announced |
| Uno | 2021 | Mattel Films | Uno (Mattel card game) | announced |
Chess movies get their own group. Chess is a game, but no game product was adapted. This list spans 1957 to 2021 and includes documentaries and one TV miniseries. For chess sets from films or shows, see the Game of Thrones and Jurassic Park pages.
Chess movies and TV shows
A chess movie is about the game and its players, not an adaptation of a game product. We include these because people search for them alongside board game films, and label the one television series as TV.
Chess films focus on chess; they aren’t adaptations of a game.
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1957Released
The Seventh Seal
A crusader knight, played by Max von Sydow, challenges Death to a game of chess, believing he'll live as long as the game lasts. It won the Special Jury Prize at Cannes in 1957.
Fun fact: Bergman directed and wrote it, and the film helped make his name abroad.
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1993Released
Searching for Bobby Fischer
Steven Zaillian's directing debut stars Max Pomeranc, Joe Mantegna and Ben Kingsley as coach Bruce Pandolfini. It took about 7.27 million USD on a 12 million budget.
Fun fact: Laurence Fishburne and Joan Allen are also in the cast.
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2000Released
The Luzhin Defence
John Turturro plays a troubled grandmaster who falls for a young woman (Emily Watson) during a tournament in Italy. Marleen Gorris directed this UK and France co-production.
Fun fact: It opened in 59 UK cinemas on September 8, 2000.
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2011Released
Bobby Fischer Against the World
Liz Garbus's documentary follows the eleventh world champion and features rare footage of the 1972 championship. It premiered at Sundance in January 2011.
Fun fact: HBO released it in the US on June 6, 2011.
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2012Released
Brooklyn Castle
Katie Dellamaggiore follows the chess team at I.S. 318, a public school in Brooklyn, for a year, from April 2009 to June 2010.
Fun fact: It premiered at SXSW on March 11, 2012.
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2014Released
Pawn Sacrifice
Tobey Maguire plays Fischer, and Liev Schreiber plays Spassky in Edward Zwick’s Reykjavik-set drama. It premiered at Toronto on September 11, 2014, then reached US theaters in September 2015.
Fun fact: It earned about 5.6 million USD worldwide against a 19 million budget.
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2016Released
Queen of Katwe
Mira Nair directs David Oyelowo, Lupita Nyong’o and Madina Nalwanga in the story of a girl from Kampala’s Katwe slum who becomes a Woman Candidate Master.
Fun fact: It opened in limited release on September 23, 2016.
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2016Released
Magnus
Benjamin Ree’s 78-minute documentary traces Magnus Carlsen’s rise from child prodigy to grandmaster at 13 and world champion in 2013. It premiered at Tribeca in 2016.
Fun fact: It opened in the US on November 18, 2016.
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2020Released
The Queen's Gambit (TV miniseries)
This seven-episode TV miniseries isn’t a film. Anya Taylor-Joy plays Beth Harmon, while Scott Frank wrote and directed it, with Allan Scott as co-creator. It premiered on October 23, 2020.
Fun fact: Garry Kasparov and Bruce Pandolfini served as consultants, and chess set sales reportedly rose over 1,000 percent.
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2021Released
Chess Story (Schachnovelle)
Philipp Stolzl’s German film opened on September 23, 2021. In 1938 Vienna, a Gestapo prisoner endures solitary confinement with the help of a chess book. It was also released as The Royal Game.
Fun fact: Oliver Masucci stars as Dr. Josef Bartok.
| Film | Year | Studio | Based on | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Seventh Seal | 1957 | Svensk Filmindustri | Ingmar Bergman's screenplay | released |
| Searching for Bobby Fischer | 1993 | Paramount Pictures | Fred Waitzkin's book about his son Josh, a young chess prodigy | released |
| The Luzhin Defence | 2000 | France 2 Cinema and Clear Blue Sky Productions | Vladimir Nabokov's novel The Defense | released |
| Bobby Fischer Against the World | 2011 | HBO | Documentary on Bobby Fischer | released |
| Brooklyn Castle | 2012 | Independent documentary | A documentary about a school chess team | released |
| Pawn Sacrifice | 2014 | Bleecker Street in the US, Lionsgate abroad | Bobby Fischer’s life and his 1972 match against Boris Spassky | released |
| Queen of Katwe | 2016 | Walt Disney Pictures and ESPN Films | An ESPN article and Tim Crothers’s book about Phiona Mutesi | released |
| Magnus | 2016 | Norwegian production | A documentary about Magnus Carlsen | released |
| The Queen's Gambit (TV miniseries) | 2020 | Netflix | Walter Tevis’s 1983 novel | released |
| Chess Story (Schachnovelle) | 2021 | Studiocanal | Stefan Zweig’s novella | released |
A film about a board game doesn’t always adapt a real one. Jumanji and Zathura come from picture books, and Game Night is an original story. The game shown on screen is invented, though real tie-in games exist. Our Jumanji board game page covers those.
Chess films focus on chess; they aren’t adaptations of a game.
Movies about board games that come to life
These movies center on a game, but it isn’t a product you can pick up at a store. They belong alongside the true adaptations, with a small asterisk.
Jumanji (1995)
Robin Williams stars in this story based on Chris Van Allsburg’s picture book. Each turn in the magical game unleashes a jungle hazard. It’s the Jumanji board game movie everyone measures the others against.
Zathura (2005)
The space board game movie here stars Josh Hutcherson and Jonah Bobo as brothers whose game sends their house into orbit. To get home, they have to finish it.
Game Night (2018)
Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams star in this original story. A game night becomes a real mystery after a friend is kidnapped. It’s about playing games, not an adaptation of one.
Mazes and Monsters (1982)
This CBS television movie stars Tom Hanks and is based on Rona Jaffe’s 1981 novel. It drew inspiration from the moral panic around Dungeons & Dragons, rather than adapting the game.
Horror is the smallest category here: only two films are confirmed adaptations of a published game, Ouija and its prequel. For tabletop horror, our horror board games guide sorts games from films and shows by fright level, helping families find gentler options.
Horror movies based on board games
Our research confirms only the Ouija films as adaptations of a published board game.
Ouija (2014)
Made with Hasbro Studios, Platinum Dunes and Blumhouse, it grossed about 103.6 million USD worldwide on a 5 to 8 million budget. The spirits brought in a tidy profit.
Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016)
A 1967 prequel directed by Mike Flanagan, with 83 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. If you watch just one of the two, make it this one.
Other Ouija board films
Witchboard (1986) and Paranormal Activity (2007) feature Ouija boards, but neither is listed as an adaptation of the Hasbro game.
Scary games, not films
Looking for tabletop scares instead? Our horror board games page covers games based on films and shows.
Clue is the film people search for most, so it gets its own comparisons. If the three endings are your favorite part, the board game has editions for many franchises, from Clue: Scooby-Doo! to Clue editions on the Harry Potter and Star Wars shelves.
Movies like Clue 1985
Clue is a house-bound ensemble comedy with several solutions. The closest matches borrow some of that recipe.
Game Night (2018)
A comedy mystery among friends, directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. A different era, but it still has that murder-mystery-night spirit.
Clue on stage
Clue: On Stage premiered in 2017 at Bucks County Playhouse, and its national tour launched in 2024.
The three endings
The August 2025 anniversary screenings showed a different ending each day. Discs can pick one at random.
The new Clue
Sony and Hasbro are developing a new Clue film and TV series. See the in-development list above for the latest status.
Which movie to watch first
Here are a few picks based on the facts above, sorted by the kind of evening you want.
A funny whodunit
Clue (1985): one mansion, three endings, and a cast of comedy veterans.
A family adventure
Jumanji (1995) or Zathura (2005): both are based on Van Allsburg's picture books.
A scare
Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016): critics rated it well above the first Ouija.
Big spectacle
Battleship (2012) or Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023), which has 91 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
What counts as a movie based on a board game?
Four rules determine which films get a card here.
A named game
The film must be credited or reported as based on a published game, such as Clue, Battleship or Ouija.
Game formats
We cover board games, card games and tabletop role-playing games, and label each format.
Fictional games get their own section
Jumanji and Zathura are based on picture books, so we list them under films about games that come alive.
Status and dates
For unreleased projects, we show the latest report we found and its date. We don't give a release year without a source.
Questions about movies based on board games
What movies are based on board games?
The clearest examples are Clue (1985), Battleship (2012) and the Ouija films (2014 and 2016). Dungeons & Dragons, a tabletop role-playing game, has inspired four films, and Candy Land has an animated 2005 film.
Is there a Monopoly movie?
Not yet. Lionsgate, Margot Robbie's LuckyChap and Hasbro are developing a live-action Monopoly movie. A May 21, 2026 report said it was in the scripting phase. No director or release date has been announced.
Is there a Candy Land movie?
Yes, an animated one: Candy Land: The Great Lollipop Adventure came out on DVD in 2005. A live-action Candy Land movie has been in development since 2012 and was still stuck as of May 2026.
Is there an Uno movie?
Mattel Films announced an Uno movie in February 2021, describing it as a heist comedy with Lil Yachty. We found no later update, so its status is unconfirmed.
Is the Battleship movie really based on the board game?
Loosely. The 2012 film pits a naval fleet against alien ships instead of following the game's rules. Hasbro also released a movie edition with alien vessels.
Are there horror movies based on board games?
Yes. Ouija (2014) and Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016) are based on Hasbro's Ouija board. Other horror films feature Ouija boards but aren't listed as adaptations.
What is the Josh Hutcherson board game movie?
Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005). Josh Hutcherson plays Walter, who finds a space-themed board game with his brother Danny. It's also the usual answer to searches for a space board game movie.
What are movies like Clue 1985?
Game Night (2018) is the closest match for a comedy mystery built around a game. Clue is also on stage, with a national tour that launched in 2024.
Is Jumanji based on a real board game?
No. The 1995 film is based on Chris Van Allsburg's 1981 picture book, where the game is fictional.
What are the best chess movies?
The main feature films are Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993), Pawn Sacrifice (2014) and Queen of Katwe (2016), along with The Seventh Seal (1957). The Queen's Gambit (2020) is a Netflix miniseries.
Chess films focus on chess; they aren’t adaptations of a game.
More from BoardGameMovie.com
Take the quiz next. These films account for half the questions.
Sources
- Clue (film), Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
- Battleship (film), Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
- Ouija (2014 film), Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
- Ouija: Origin of Evil, Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
- Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
- Zathura: A Space Adventure, Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
- Jumanji (film), Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
- Game Night (film), Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
- Hasbro's bazillion movies and TV shows in development, May 21, 2026 yahoo.com
- Netflix and Catan, Variety, October 22, 2025 au.variety.com
- The Game of Life film, Hasbro newsroom, March 18, 2026 newsroom.hasbro.com
- New Clue at Sony, TheWrap, April 23, 2024 thewrap.com
- Mattel developing Uno, Business Wire, February 4, 2021 businesswire.com
- Searching for Bobby Fischer, Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
- The Queen's Gambit (miniseries), Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org