15 Board Games That Would Actually Make Great Movies

First published in 2004, Alan R. Moon's "Ticket to Ride" has become the premiere railway board game in households around the world. Tasked with traversing train routes across a country, players collect color-coordinated train cards to complete their assigned routes in exchange for points. In a film industry devoid of good ol' fashioned adventure films, this worldwide hit could easily translate into a cinematic, globe-trotting rat race with a variety of exciting train set-pieces. The manual even includes a charming origin story for the game's events, set during the same fictional timeline of Jules Verne's classic adventure novel "Around the World in 80 Days" (which has been adapted into a feature film three separate times).

It's October 2, 1900. Five friends have once again met up at a local London pub, as they do every year on this exact date. Inspired by Phileas Fogg's grand excursion, these old university mates began to take part in their own competitions. What began as a modest wager has grown into something much more excessive and things are about to get even bigger. The challenge this year? Travel, by train, to the most North American cities in one week's time. The prize? One million dollars. Grab five young and witty British talents (and incorporate the other characters from the box art, because why not), throw in a bit of healthy sabotage, and you've got yourself the potential for an action-adventure period piece. Not only could it satirize the vanity of the wealthy and boyish, but also highlight the importance of true friendship against all odds.

For fans of: "Around The World in 80 Days," "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," "Bullet Train"

We're finally getting a proper "Dungeons & Dragons" movie early next year, which may leave the door open for fantasy that is ... less proper. Enter "Munchkin," the role-playing card game that's sick of the stats and skips to the fun stuff: kicking down doors, looting rooms, and fighting monsters. Funny spins on classic tropes await as players attempt to reach Level 10 without being screwed over by their competitors. Steve Jackson's irreverent pastiche is beloved by genre fans to this day (they just announced it will soon be going digital), largely because it's a series thoroughly in on its own jokes. The title itself is a slang term for the kind of player who refuses to lose, even if it means not playing fair. That very stereotype informs our story, centered on four adolescent boys who bond over their shared love of D&D. When a new kid — a hardcore D&D nerd — moves to town, he insists they let him DM their next campaign. Little do they know that his unorthodox play style, from absurd curses to made-up monsters, will put this group's friendships (and patience) to the test.

Outside of the game, talented child actors will portray the kids "Stranger Things" style. However, when the campaign is in session, our characters embody John Kovalic's iconic illustrations animated to the tune of Genndy Tartakovsky ("Star Wars: Clone Wars," "Primal"). Imagine fan-favorite cards, like the Kneepads of Allure or the Plutonium Dragon, brought to life with irreverent humor a la "Rick and Morty." Towing the line between silly and sadist, it would ultimately be a story about what games are really about: having fun.

For fans of: "Dungeons and Dragons," "Rick and Morty," the works of Genndy Tartakovsky

In a world where "Hotel Transylvania" can get three sequels, we're in dire need of an original animated horror comedy to shake things up. Harkening back to family-friendly cult classics like "Monster House" and "ParaNorman," "One Night Ultimate Werewolf" would be an upbeat, hilarious romp without sacrificing a good scare for spooky season. In the game, players are secretly assigned roles and divided into two teams: the villagers (tasked with killing the werewolves) and the werewolves (trying to survive the night). After individually playing out special actions in silence during a night phase, players "wake up" and deduce each others' roles during a day phase. Players eventually vote on someone to kill, and the majority decision determines whether the villagers or the werewolves claim victory.

Designer Ted Alspach's reskinning of "Werewolf" is a unique, more fast-paced spin on the iconic social deduction game, but the real reason this version makes for the best movie is Gus Batts' illustrations. These kooky characters practically leap off the page (or card) and deserve quality voice actors bringing them to life, ideally animated in the style of Cartoon Saloon ("Wolfwalkers"). It's a horror whodunnit centered on a village that suspects foul play when residents begin dying in their homes each night. Bite marks suggest it was a werewolf, as legend says one resides in the surrounding woods. One devoted villager assembles a team to combat the threat, but allegiances grow murky as the enemy grows smarter. Could the werewolf be someone from the village? Agatha Christie meets R. L. Stine in a horror comedy about groupthink paranoia and its dire consequences.

For fans of: "Knives Out," "Wolfwalkers," "Werewolves Within"

There aren't many vintage games featured on this list, simply because most of them don't have a narrative leg to stand on. "Mouse Trap" certainly doesn't have one either, at least not at face value, but something about that crazy contraption at its center alludes to some cinematic potential. Everyone knows "Mouse Trap," the classic game in which players make their way across the board while collectively building a Rube Goldberg machine piece-by-piece. By the time players make it to the end of the board, it's a literal cat-and-mouse chase to see who will end up under the machine's trap net. Last mouse standing wins!

We'll take a page from everyone's favorite rat movie, "Ratatouille," and center the film on a colony of mice living in the attic of an ignorant elderly woman. After she passes away, a new couple moves in and is quick to spot a pest problem. They slowly begin taking out mice one by one with newer, more improved traps every time. When the couple leaves for a brief vacation, the mice take it upon themselves to leave traps of their own. By simply inverting the premise of the game and taking a few creative liberties, this retro board game (originally designed by Hank Kramer in 1963) takes on a whole new life. The film would combine the slapstick energy of "Tom & Jerry" with the satisfying comeuppance of "Home Alone," all incorporating the original contraption in ways both big and small. Expect appearances from a boot kicking a bucket, rickety stairs, a bathtub, and maybe even a flying man.

For fans of: "Home Alone," "Tom & Jerry," "Mouse Hunt"

It was about time we injected horror into the mix. The genre sells like hotcakes, even in a pandemic, so why not capitalize on that? Both original and IP-based stories can thrive within the genre, so let's try something that meets in the middle. "Betrayal at House on the Hill," developed by Avalon Hill Games, may not be a household name but it holds a wealth of source material that will be appreciated by both horror fans and tabletop hobbyists alike. Players begin "Betrayal" as a group exploring a haunted house. After selecting their respective character cards, players traverse a three-floor house, building it tile-by-tile. It won't be long before a player triggers the Haunt phase, in which someone transforms into a Traitor, now bestowed with their own secret win condition. The remaining players are also given a secret win condition, and the true game commences.

This description may sound vague, but that's only because there are 50 different Haunt scenarios, each one triggered based on how your game has progressed. With a variety of different possible villains terrorizing our characters, "Betrayal" feels different every time you play. This suggests it would work best as a horror anthology reminiscent of "Tales From The Crypt," in which the House on the Hill acts as the setting for five distinct stories. Along with featuring "Betrayal" characters like Madame Zostra and Father Rhinehardt, it would also include elements of creature design a la Guillermo Del Toro. From mummies to banshees to straight-up poltergeists, practical efforts will help to elevate each vignette's frightening villain.

For fans of: "Tales From The Crypt," "Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark," "The Conjuring"

This one seems like a pretty simple equation: imagine every kaiju monster movie ever made and smush 'em together. That's the basic concept of "King of Tokyo," Richard Garfield's battle royale of epic proportions. Players pick one of several outrageous kaiju and engage in an all-out battle for Tokyo, attempting to damage their opponents and gain victory points in the process. Each turn is determined by matching dice combos after three consecutive rolls, as well as purchased cards that grant unique abilities. Unlike the "Monsterverse," which started off one monster at a time until their inevitable crossover, "King of Tokyo" gives us an opportunity to go all-out from minute one. We'll keep the story simple: Earth is being evacuated after scientists have deemed it uninhabitable (a distant future that's sadly all too near), but before the last ship can leave the planet, a cavalcade of gigantic monsters has begun to claim Earth as their own. As Tokyo becomes a battleground, they must find a way to escape the destruction.

Featuring iconic riffs on Mechagodzilla (Meca Dragon), the Kraken (Cthulu), aliens (Alienoid), and whatever the hell Cyber Bunny is supposed to be, "King of Tokyo" and its rampant pace of destruction will avoid the hulking slow-down seen in many of its competitors like "Pacific Rim." Add in a "King Kong" inspired subplot in which the humans befriend "The King," a giant cybernetic ape, and even our race can get in on the action. There really isn't a secret to the madness here, folks, just a dumb, fun, neon-lit monster movie that will push the genre to its limits.

For fans of: The Monsterverse, "War of the Worlds," "Rampage"

Political intrigue continues to be a cornerstone of popular television. From "House of Cards” to "Game of Thrones," we love watching corrupt individuals shift power dynamics. This translates perfectly into games of social deduction, and a strong string of political thrillers within the landscape of "Coup" may hold untapped potential. Developed in 2012 by Rikki Tahta, Sacha Alexander, and Haig Tahta, the game begins with players receiving two random cards, a secret combination of any of the five principal roles: Captain, Duke, Ambassador, Contessa, and Assassin. Each role allows for unique abilities, but players are allowed to lie about what roles they hold. Players can call out other players' bluffs, resulting in them losing roles, or they can amass seven tokens to execute a coup and automatically remove a role from a player's hand. The last player standing wins the day.

Though the political subplots of the "Star Wars" prequels get a lot of hate, that labyrinth of influence is a great reference point for "Coup," which would recreate the box art's futuristic/intergalactic aesthetic. The game's lore speaks of a corporatized government that has positioned a wealthy few in positions of absolute power. This inspires the creation of a resistance group that attempts to infiltrate the ranks, a pitch just in time for "Andor." "Coup" would see a wealth of characters, both within the government and largely outside of it, put their alliances to the test as they attempt to survive a society on the brink of revolt. Anyone could be conspiring with the resistance, and foreign aid can only get you so far.

For fans of: The "Star Wars" prequels, "House of Cards," "Cloud Atlas"

Let's cap things off with an all-time classic in Klaus Teuber's "Catan," one of the highest-selling board games ever made. Previously titled "Settlers of Catan," players gain resources, build settlements, and expand their reach across the titular island. By slyly trading with other players, and hopefully avoiding the dastardly robber, players hope to win the game by earning 10 victory points. "Catan" was inspired by Teuber's passion for the Age of Discovery, a period of expansive sea travel (think Christopher Columbus). Teuber designed the game's mechanics and story to reflect the excitement of reaching new shores. However, in re-evaluating this history, we know Indigenous communities were ravaged as a result of European colonization. This film would be the perfect opportunity to right a number of these wrongs with a period story told through fresh eyes.

After a group of European sailors gets caught in a torrential storm, they are left shipwrecked on the fictional island of Catan, a utopia led by the indigenous Catanian people (think "Avatar" level visuals). Though things begin hostile, both sides agree to work together in cultivating Catan and its resources. Many sailors learn to respect the origins of the land and the traditions of its people, while others grow greedy and impatient. When infighting threatens the safety of Catan, the remaining sailors must take arms with the Catanian warriors to save the land they all cherish. It would take after historical dramas like "The New World" or "Dances With Wolves" but re-center their stories to honor Indigenous legacies. With a brand as ironclad as "Catan," even a board game movie adaptation could speak to the issues of today.

For fans of: "The New World," "Master and Commander," "Avatar"