Netflix Turns Clue Into a High-Stakes Whodunit Competition Series
Board game night goes prime time: Netflix is adapting Clue into a cutthroat competition series, challenging contestants to crack classic whodunits—maybe even catching Colonel Mustard in the kitchen with the pipe.
If you are a Clue person, this is your week. The 80s cult-mystery movie hits the big 4-0, there is a shiny new 4K disc out right now, and Netflix is turning the Parker Brothers classic into a reality competition. Yes, we are apparently doing Clue in real life now.
Clue turns 40 - and the 4K disc is on shelves today
Paramount is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the 1980s film adaptation with a new physical release in 4K. The ultra-high-def disc lands at retailers today. Picture upgrade, murder, mayhem, multiple endings - the works.
The movie’s ensemble is still ridiculous in the best way. Starring:
- Eileen Brennan
- Colleen Camp
- Tim Curry
- Bill Henderson
- Howard Hesseman
- Madeline Kahn
- Jeffrey Kramer
- Christopher Lloyd
- Michael McKean
- Martin Mull
- Kellye Nakahara
- Lee Ving
- Lesley Ann Warren
- Jane Wiedlin
Meanwhile, Netflix just greenlit a Clue reality competition
Deadline says Netflix has officially ordered a game show based on Clue, coming from Hasbro Entertainment alongside The Intellectual Property Corporation (IPC) and B17 Entertainment. Both IPC and B17 operate under the Sony Pictures umbrella, which locked down the Clue rights last year. That deal seems to be paying off fast.
So what is the show, exactly?
Think physical-and-mental challenges first, then a full-on deduction round. Contestants collect clues through challenges and then step into a real-world version of the board game to figure out the classic trio: who did it, where it happened, and with what. Nail the guess, money gets added to the prize pot. Blow it, and you might be out. And yes, the usual suspects are in play: Colonel Mustard, Miss Scarlett, Professor Plum, Mrs. White - the whole gang.
"Like so many families and friends over the years, we’ve gathered around the table trying to figure out who did it - making Clue a source of nostalgia that everyone shares. Thanks to the incredible vision of our partners at Hasbro Entertainment, IPC, and B17, we’re delivering a fresh, imaginative whodunit competition that will invite today’s audiences into that iconic world."
- Jeff Gaspin, VP of Unscripted Series at Netflix
The bigger picture: Hasbro is on a broader IP push
Beyond the ongoing Transformers and G.I. Joe films, Hasbro is busy trying to spin more of its catalog into screen projects. In the pipeline: a Dungeons & Dragons series at Netflix and a TV universe based on Magic: The Gathering. Clue getting both a 4K victory lap and a reality show greenlight sums up the moment pretty well: if it’s a recognizable game or toy, someone is figuring out how to put it on your TV.