Hasbro has proven to be an asset to Hollywood, thanks to the success of the Transformers franchise, which has grossed well over $3bn worldwide. The American toy company now has it sights set on Broadway, with a musical based on the game Monopoly.
The stage adaptation of the popular board game is to be the first of many for Hasbro, according to Variety. The company has teamed up with the Araca Group, a Broadway producing and merchandising company, for a slate of projects that will use Hasbro’s library as inspiration for theatrical productions pitched at Broadway, amusement parks, cruise ships and other venues across the US. Monopoly is being developed strictly for Broadway.
Matthew Rego of the Araca Group told Variety that the musical will not be “about sitting around playing Monopoly”, but rather will take inspiration from The Lego Movie by exploring the world of the game in creative ways.
Araca recently produced the Broadway run of Pultizer-winner Disgraced, which closed in 2015, as well as the Tony-winning A View from the Bridge, starring Mark Strong. The company is also known for doing brand extension work for Beyoncé and Britney Spears, and for its investment in the Broadway sensation Wicked.
The Hasbro partnership coincides with the recent launch of Araca Media & Entertainment, a new content division focused on adapting iconic brands and franchises into live events around the world.
No premiere date has been announced as of yet for Monopoly the Musical, nor any of the creatives that will be brought on board to mount the production. Variety reports that the show is likely three or four years away.
Further stage projects from Hasbro and Araca are rumored to be announced in the coming months.
