Netflix Is Turning An Iconic Murder-Mystery Franchise Into A Reality Show

The days of Battleship bombing at the box office are over: toys and games are now ripe for successful creative adaptations. From Barbie to Minecraft, any thing that’s popular enough has the power to become movie source material. Still, some subject matter is easier to adapt than others. Is the Monopoly movie currently in development going to be a gritty real estate drama or a lighthearted family adventure that’s also about the foibles of capitalism?

One board game adaptation, however, shouldn’t have that problem. Netflix’s next game project is taking a beloved franchise and bringing it back to life in a (relatively) new medium.

Netflix recently announced a Clue reality show based on the Hasbro board game of the same name. “Players will step into a real-life game of deduction and deception, facing both physical and mental challenges along the way,” the statement reads. “To win, they’ll have to outwit opponents and answer three big questions: who, where, and with what. If the contestants guess correctly, they’ll add money to the prize pot, but if their suspicions are wrong, they could face elimination.”

This isn’t the first time Clue has been brought to life. The 1985 movie is now a cult classic thanks to its all-star cast and multiple endings; there’s even been a stage adaptation. But even a reality show based on Clue is nothing new. Back in the ‘90s, Clue game shows, where contestants had to solve mysteries that featured celebrities portraying the game’s colorful characters, aired in several countries, including the UK, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Australia.

Stateside, there have been non-Clue game shows with a similar premise. In 2013, ABC aired Whodunnit?, a series where an unknown murderer “eliminates” contestants through elaborate (staged) murders to be solved by the survivors. It seems like this new series will take a more Survivor-esque format, including challenges and a social game amid the central mysteries.

Look for casting announcements as the series gears up, as the gameplay will apparently bring contestants face-to-face with the game’s iconic suspects. But while we wait for a new murder to solve, it looks like it’ll be Netflix, on the internet, with a board game IP.

Clue is coming to Netflix.