These days, it seemsmovies based on IP are inescapable. From the endless string of superhero films toreboots and remakes, and even films based ontheme park attractions, it seems that the age of the franchise will be here to stay for some time. Interestingly, though, movies based on popular video games have often yielded mixed results. There are occasional successes, such asThe Super Mario Bros. Movie, but there are plenty of disastrous flops, such asBorderlands. This hasn’t stopped Hollywood from trying to make a video game-based franchise work, however, as evidenced by the upcomingMinecraftmovie. Warner Brothers and Legendary Pictures are certainlygoing all in on the movie, and given the game’s immense popularity, the film could indeed become a massive hit. But there’s one game-based picture we never got to see, one that could have truly revolutionized the subgenre:RollerCoaster Tycoon.One of the most popular franchises of its day, the movie was in development and was set to take the popular simulation game in a fascinating new direction before being mysteriously canceled.
The ‘RollerCoaster Tycoon' Movie Began Development in 2010
WhenRollerCoaster Tycoonwas first released in 1999, it quickly became a smash hit.The simulation game allowed players to build and run their own theme parks. From creating rides and taking care of their operation, in the park and financially, the game was dynamic thanks to its careful balance of entertainment and educational value. It would receive two sequels, not long after, the first of which saw a partnership with Six Flags, that allowed players to run real-world parks. It only makes sense thatHollywood would come calling. PerCinemablend, the idea of aRollerCoaster Tycoonmovie was first announced in 2010.
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It entered development atSony’s Animation department, withHarald Zwartset to produce and direct the film.Zwart, whose creative vision helped makeThe Karate Kidremake a success, was set to be joined by writers David Ronn and Jay Scherick in an effort to adapt the game. However, it should be noted that, while popular, theRollerCoaster Tycoonfranchise is largely story-less. Unlike properties such asThe Last of Us, which has a story ripe for adaptation, the team would have to create a narrative for the movie. Luckily, it had a fascinating pitch ready to go.
‘RollerCoaster Tycoon’ Would Have Been Similar to ‘Night at the Museum’
When speaking to Cinemablend, Zwart revealed that he and the team had actually created an interesting concept for theRollerCoaster Tycoonmovie. In fact, Zwart, Ronn, and Scherick were looking to develop the film with aNight at the Museum-style twist. The film franchise was hugely popular around the same time thatRollerCoaster Tycoonwas big, inspiring sequels,a musicalthat, at one time, eyed Broadway, andan animated sequel. “Well, we had a pitch, a story– it’s basically a theme park comes to life,” Zwart explained. “We had a story woven into the theme park of theRollerCoaster Tycoon, and that’s what we sold to Sony, and that’s what we’re hoping to make into a movie.” Zwart explained how the idea came to be. “Just the idea of takinga ride like in Disneylandand the rides suddenly come to life, [or] you’re able to step off and stay behind when everybody else had gone.” He acknowledged that the concept even had the potential to be both scary and fun. Indeed, it was a concept that sounded exciting and inventive when compared to the source material. So, what happened?
What Happened to the ‘RollerCoaster Tycoon’ Movie?
When it comes to the development of movies, there are few things worse thana film getting stuck in the dreaded “development hell.”What’s worse, though, is when a movie never entered production at all, and that was the fate theRollerCoaster Tycoonfilm would eventually find. According toComic Book Resources, there isn’t a whole lot of detail when it comes to the movie’s fate. While Sony was indeed interested in pursuing the movie after it was first announced in 2010, the movie was quietly canceled and fell off the studios’ radar in the years that followed. Indeed, despite a promising concept that seemed well-developed and a lot of excitement surrounding the idea,the movie was quietly canceled. It’s certainly not an uncommon occurrence in Hollywood. After all, there have been plenty offranchises that were abandonedeven after they had already begun to release movies. And, in the years sinceRollerCoaster Tycoonhas faded from popularity.
‘RollerCoaster Tycoon’s Popularity Has Declined
As we previously mentioned,RollerCoaster Tycoonwasa massive hit when it was first released in 1999. The game was quickly followed byRollerCoaster Tycoon 2, and, in 2004,RollerCoaster Tycoon 3, which itself received several expansion packs. However, after the third installment, the franchise soon became stagnant. In fact, the next installment,RollerCoaster Tycoon 4wouldn’t be released until 2014, then relegated to being a mobile game. While other installments have come since the smaller and less popular approachdoesn’t bode wellfor the concept of aRollerCoaster Tycoonmovie revival. Additionally, games such asPlanet Coasterpicked up whereRollerCoaster Tycoonleft off, offering a similar concept and more advanced graphics. All in all, the franchise seems to have quietlydied along with the film.
While aRollerCoaster Tycoonmovie made perfect sense at the time, Sony’s abandoning of the project and the decline in content on the game’s part seems to have solidified the movie’s fate. Despite having an interesting concept, it never did make it out of development, leaving many of us wondering about what could have been. However, there are plenty of other video games that have made the leap to the screen for viewers to enjoy, as well as theNight at the Museumfranchise. And withMinecrafton the way, the possibility of a new franchise is ripe for the picking.
Minecraftarrives in theaters on August 19, 2025. Stay tuned to Collider for more details!
