The hugely popular Roblox game 99 Nights in the Forest is being developed as a feature film at 20th Century Studios.
After a fiercely competitive bidding process, the studio has secured the theatrical film rights to the title developed by Grandma’s Favorite Games and hosted on Roblox. No writer or director has been decided at this time, but the game’s developers Alec Kieft, Matthew Hufton, and Cameron Anglund will serve as executive producers for the film. JR Young will oversee the project on behalf of the studio.
Released last May, 99 Nights in the Forest is an action-survival game in which players must spend 99 nights adventuring through a haunted forest. The mission is to rescue four lost children while fighting off vicious deer and other beasts. In less than a year, the game has become the seventh most played game of all time on Roblox, with approximately 26 billion lifetime visitors and a player rating of 90.6%. The game has reached an all-time high of 14.2 million players (ranking third on the platform) and frequently hosts hundreds of thousands of concurrent players. As of this post, this game is listed in the top 10 most popular games (6th place) and highest grossing games.
The deal is the latest effort by the studio, led by Disney live-action films and 20th Century Studios president David Greenbaum and 20th Century Studios president Steve Asbell, to build on its diverse genre base.
“The team at Grandma’s Favorite Games is exactly the type of bold, imaginative creators we love working with at 20th Century Studios, with inherently cinematic world-building ideas,” Greenbaum said in a statement announcing the project. “99 Nights in the Forest has already connected with millions of players around the world, and we’re excited to build on that foundation for a global audience.”
Grandma’s Favorite Games is a partnership of three New Zealand-based creators, Kieft (game designer “Cracky4”), Hufton (programmer “ForyxeV”), and Angland (environment and asset creator “Viridial”), who have worked together to create some of Roblox’s most popular games. Founded in 2020, the game development community currently boasts over 10 million members.
“Disney and the 20th film were such a big part of our childhood, so it feels surreal to be collaborating with such a legendary and timeless studio,” said the trio. “We are excited to explore the world of 99 Nights in the Forest on a broader stage and create fear in an entirely new medium.”
Grandma’s Favorite Games is represented by Pryor Cashman. Michelle Kam of 20th Century Studios is said to have signed the deal on behalf of the studio.
