Sony takes a Risk

[Kaboose the Moose]

I guarantee you, whatever you thought coming into this thread is nothing compared to the horror of what I am about to reveal to you.

[Source:Sony takes a Risk [http://movies.ign.com/articles/104/1042181p1.html]]

Sony Pictures Entertainment has acquired from Hasbro, Inc. the motion picture rights to produce Risk, the classic board game brand of world conquest, it was announced today by Doug Belgrad and Matt Tolmach, presidents of Columbia Pictures. The film will be produced and developed by Hasbro's Brian Goldner and Bennett Schneir and Overbrook Entertainment's James Lassiter.

Commenting on the announcement Belgrad said, "Hasbro has already seen tremendous success with Transformers and G.I. Joe and audiences 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."

Lassiter added "We are excited to be working with Hasbro and Columbia Pictures on bringing such a beloved and well-known game to life on the big screen. We have two television projects currently in development with Hasbro Studios and look forward to this collaboration."

"We are thrilled to be working with tremendous partners like Sony Pictures and Overbrook Entertainment on Risk," said Brian Goldner, President and CEO of Hasbro, Inc. "Like so many of Hasbro's brands, Risk resonates with consumers of multiple generations around the world. We can't wait to re-imagine this brand into a motion picture."

The game was invented in 1957 by French filmmaker Albert Lamorisse as La Conqu?te du Monde (The Conquest of the World). Two years later, Parker Brothers published the game in the U.S. as Risk. According to Hasbro, Risk was a groundbreaking game, the first board game to offer nonlinear movement. In the game, players compete on a map of the world, amassing armies and attempting world domination, or, as its rules put it, to "occupy every territory on the board and in so doing, eliminate all other players." The game has sold millions of copies and spawned several variations, with settings ranging from movie properties to various periods from world history to the moon.

So yeah, a film about the board game Risk is on the cards.

I really hope that this is a joke or viral marketing for something I don't know about because, because this can't be right. Game to movie conversions barely work but boardgames to movies?. I mean yes, Jumanji worked (sort of) but that's because it had a workable story..but we are talking about Risk here..how can someone build a movie plot on Risk?.

I like their rationale behind this move too:

"Hasbro has already seen tremendous success with Transformers and G.I. Joe and audiences have shown a great desire for films that bring to life everything that has made these franchise properties stand the test of time"

Yeah, because Transformers & GI Joe got turned into movies every Hasbro product should too.

Then they say:

"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."

...

What will Hollywood think of next.."UNO - Attack of the inglorious Wild Draw Four"?

Your thoughts on this latest news?

 

[Ciarang]

Wait, what?

They're making a film about a board game??

 

[Barky13]

Wait, what?

They're making a film about a board game??

Yes. Apparently you've both forgot about Clue. I'm not sure what the "plot" of Risk is so I'll look it up now.

EDIT: Looked it up. It could work but I'm not sure. Either way it doesn't really look like something I'd care about.

 

[Space Spoons]

A few years ago, I would have been really skeptical about this kind of conversion, but these days, I'm not so sure. Remember when Pirates of the Caribbean was coming out and everyone thought a movie based on a ride from Disney World couldn't possibly succeed in the box office, much less critically?

It's chancy, I'll admit, but by nature of it's gameplay, Risk looks like one of those things that takes to film naturally. I mean, who wouldn't want to watch a movie about countries racing to, literally, take over the world?

 

[radarbsm]

WTF. I think there should be a plot to a board game for it become a movie if at all.

 

[Mr Thomsos]

This has to be a joke! I bet it would be a cheesy type of funny trailer thought

 

[SomethingUnrelated]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Well, this'll end up a bag of shit, and Sony'll learn their lesson.

 

[ThreeWords]

Hey, Casino Royale was, for a good deal of the film, about poker

Perhaps this film will be about having to play risk in order to save the world

Fine, it'll still be shite, but at least have some imagination!

 

[Blackadder51]

OMG, today i learned ad played my first game of Risk

This is weird, lol

 

[Agema]

Bear in mind many companies acquire intellectual rights because they can be profitable even if not acted on. If someone else thinks of something to do from the brand, then they'll then have to buy the rights from whoever owns them.

The idea of a Risk film is not entirely stupid: bear in mind there are Warhammer books, and WFB/W20k are really just glorified board games. (There was also Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay for those who are old enough to remember, and it may have been resurrected more recently.) If the Risk owners decide to expand the board game brand with such tie-ins, movies are looking much more possible.

 

[Slycne]

I really hope that this is a joke or viral marketing for something I don't know about because, because this can't be right. Game to movie conversions barely work but boardgames to movies?. I mean yes, Jumanji worked (sort of) but that's because it had a workable story..but we are talking about Risk here..how can someone build a movie plot on Risk?.

Jumanji might have been made into a board game after the movies, but it was an illustrated short story before all of that.

There is a theory of thought though that any subject matter can be made into a film, however to make a good film the final product might not resemble the source material in any number of ways.

 

[Kaboose the Moose]

A few years ago, I would have been really skeptical about this kind of conversion, but these days, I'm not so sure. Remember when Pirates of the Caribbean was coming out and everyone thought a movie based on a ride from Disney World couldn't possibly succeed in the box office, much less critically?

It's chancy, I'll admit, but by nature of it's gameplay, Risk looks like one of those things that takes to film naturally. I mean, who wouldn't want to watch a movie about countries racing to, literally, take over the world?

Quite possible, however POTC actually had an inherent theme which was used to string together a coherent plot. Pirates + Carribean + some treasures along the way..already you have a blueprint about the direction for the movie and it hardly preposterous. I mean at the very core of POTC are pirates. Pirates for god sakes, that's half of a winning formula already, if they had a couple of ninja's in their it would have been beyond phenomenal.

I just don't see a direction with Risk though, I mean I am no movie producer but the chances of a good plot from Risk is about as likely as a French Noir film based on Monopoly.

I agree that a film about countries declaring war on each other would be amazing but there has to be an underlying plot for the movie to make sense; it's not going to be countries declaring war for shits and giggles. I just hope that if this sees the light of day it won't be as ridiculous as it sounds right about now.

I really hope that this is a joke or viral marketing for something I don't know about because, because this can't be right. Game to movie conversions barely work but boardgames to movies?. I mean yes, Jumanji worked (sort of) but that's because it had a workable story..but we are talking about Risk here..how can someone build a movie plot on Risk?.

Jumanji might have been made into a board game after the movies, but it was an illustrated short story before all of that.

There is a theory of thought though that any subject matter can be made into a film, however to make a good film the final product might not resemble the source material in any number of ways.

Wait, a Jumanji game actually exists?. Anyway, the point is that Jumanji works because of the game itself. It's not only about moving pieces around a board it actually takes you places, which give you a place to go in the movies.

And I agree, for a good film the final product might not resemble the source material in any number of ways, and for that I think Hasbro's Battleship movie [http://www.realmilitarynetwork.com/department/movies/universal-pictures-set-present-hasbros-battleship-july-2011.html] might have some potential, but things like Monopoly and Risk..I don't know. They are very restrictive by nature, rules and conditions and turns and what not. If they were to be altered then you are changing the core of the game and if you do that, then what's the point in calling it a Risk movie?. It may as well be a C&C game to movie conversion.

 

[McHanhan]

That's hilarious, a show based on Risk. Still I won't knock it till I've seen it maybe some good might come from it?

 

[Woem]

Wait, what?

They're making a film about a board game??

Well seeing that there are two Dungeons and Dragons movies (and an animated movie as well) and over a dozen Pokemon films this really doesn't surprise me.

 

[Killerbunny001]

Up next : "Checkers the Movie" and "Craps the Reality Show : How a dice lives an every day life".

 

[Gunner 51]

Plus they did make a (short lived) series based on the game Cluedo.

 

[metalmmaniac]

ahha Risk is one of the only ones with potential.

here are some other toys/games/candy that movie studios are working on, View-Master(yea the binocular things with pictures), Hot Wheels, Battleship, Candyland, Bazooka Joe, and Monopoly

...and I bet they're all gonna be in 3D too! cuz OMFGZ 3D is teh coolest!!!

 

[Distorted Stu]

"Sir! We're pinned down! what do we do?!"
"Hang on! Let me roll these dice!"
"SIR?!"
"HOLD THE FUCK ON! .. Damn"
"SIR?!
"The dice says we gonna die"

 

[Tartarga]

Oh shit. The prophecy is coming true. *leaves earth*

 

[Acaroid]

snip

Are they going to make a "RISK THE MOVIE: THE BOARD GAME"

cause that would be funny, as you know there are 10000 types of risk out... even halo wars risk :|