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by Kim Muntinga
Catan is being made into a film: Netflix plans films and series based on the classic board game
22-10-2025
Translation: machine translated
Netflix secures the worldwide rights for Catan. Real-life film adaptations, animations and other formats are planned. For fans who have known the game for years, the question arises as to whether the feel of the game can be made into a film at all.
Implementation and content
Stories about trade, conflict and community on an island with scarce resources are planned. The production is being created together with Guido and Benjamin Teuber, the sons of the late author Klaus Teuber, and Catan Studio.
The streaming service aims to capture «the strategy, excitement and drama» of the game. This is precisely the greatest difficulty. Catan is not about characters, but about interaction at the table: negotiating, balancing and blocking. In a film, this element is in danger of being lost as soon as free play becomes a fixed narrative.
Comparison with other board game adaptations
Catan is not the first game to conquer the screen. Hasbro has been planning film adaptations of Monopoly and Cluedo for years. Netflix is already working on a series about Exploding Kittens. Video game adaptations such as Arcane or The Last of Us show that adaptations can work, but only if they offer more than just fan service.
This is more difficult with board games. They thrive on participation and a shared experience. If the film replaces this element with a classic plot, all that remains in the worst case is the brand. Catan can very well become a powerful adventure - or completely lose its playful soul.
Classification for the gaming public
For many Catan fans, the announcement is both an opportunity and a risk. It opens up new insights into the well-known island, but leaves open the question of whether and how tactics and negotiation work at all on film.
At least the collaboration with the Teuber brothers shows respect for the original. Whether this will result in a series that will delight fans remains to be seen. Catan definitely has the potential for good stories, but it lives from its mechanics, not its characters. If the adaptations understand this, they can work. If not, the game table remains the better place to build roads and trade resources.
What do you think: Can Catan work as a film or series, or does it lose its appeal in the process? Let us know in the comments.
Header image: Asmodee
I get paid to play with toys all day.
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