20th Century Studios is officially entering the video game adaptation arena, securing the theatrical film rights to the viral Roblox hit 99 Nights in the Forest. The move marks the first time the studio has tackled a feature film based on a video game since it came under the ownership of The Walt Disney Company.
The acquisition comes amid a broader Hollywood trend where gaming intellectual property has develop into some of the most coveted source material for major studios. By partnering with Grandma’s Favourite Games, the developers behind the title, 20th Century Studios is tapping into a massive, pre-existing global audience that has already embraced the game’s atmospheric horror and survival mechanics.
While the project is in its early stages, the scale of the game’s success provides a significant foundation for the 99 Nights in the Forest movie. The title has rapidly ascended the ranks of the Roblox platform, evolving from a niche indie project into one of the most-played experiences in the ecosystem’s history.
A Digital Phenomenon Moving to the Considerable Screen
99 Nights in the Forest is an action-survival experience that tasks players with a grueling objective: enduring 99 nights within a haunted woodland. The core narrative involves a desperate attempt to rescue four lost children while fending off the vicious, supernatural creatures that inhabit the deep woods.
The game’s growth has been nothing short of explosive. According to data provided by 20th Century Studios, the title is currently the seventh most played game of all time on Roblox. In less than a year of existence, it has amassed nearly 26 billion lifetime visits and maintains a player rating of 90.6%.
The sheer volume of concurrent engagement is what likely drew the studio’s attention. The game reached an all-time peak player count of 14.2 million, ranking it third on the entire Roblox platform. This level of saturation ensures that the film will launch with a built-in fanbase that spans multiple continents and demographics.
| Metric | Stat |
|---|---|
| Lifetime Visits | ~26 Billion |
| Peak Player Count | 14.2 Million |
| Roblox All-Time Rank | No. 7 (Most Played) |
| Player Rating | 90.6% |
The Creative Vision and Leadership
At this stage, the production remains a blank slate in terms of creative leadership. No writer or director has been attached to the project, and no external producers have been brought on board. However, the original architects of the game’s world—Alec Kieft, Matthew Hufton, and Cameron Angland—will maintain a creative stake as executive producers.
David Greenbaum, the president of Disney’s live action and 20th Century Studios, highlighted the innate quality of the game’s design as a primary driver for the deal. In a statement, Greenbaum noted that the team at Grandma’s Favourite Games are the kind of bold, imaginative creators the studio loves to work with, describing their world-building ideas as innately cinematic.
He added that because 99 Nights in the Forest has already connected with millions of players worldwide, the studio is excited to build on that foundation for audiences everywhere.
For the developers, the transition from a Roblox experience to a Disney-owned studio is a full-circle moment. In a joint statement, the creators expressed that collaborating with such legendary and enduring studios feels surreal, noting that Disney and 20th Century films were a significant part of their own childhoods. They expressed a particular eagerness to explore the world of the game on a broader stage and to bring their specific brand of scares to a new medium.
Navigating the Game-to-Film Pipeline
The transition from an interactive survival game to a linear cinematic narrative presents unique challenges. The “survival” aspect of the game—specifically the 99-night endurance test—provides a natural ticking clock for a screenplay, but translating the gameplay loop into a compelling character arc will be the primary task for the eventual writer.
Overseeing the project for 20th Century Studios is executive J.R. Young, while Michelle Kamme was instrumental in facilitating the rights deal. Their focus will likely be on finding a director capable of balancing the “scares” mentioned by the developers with the emotional weight of the rescue mission involving the four lost children.
The success of recent video game adaptations—most notably the resurgence of the Super Mario Bros. and Sonic the Hedgehog franchises—has proven that audiences are hungry for faithful yet expanded versions of their favorite digital worlds. By choosing a title with a high player-to-visit ratio, 20th Century Studios is betting on the “viral” nature of Roblox content to drive opening weekend ticket sales.
The next milestone for the project will be the appointment of a screenwriter to develop the initial treatment, followed by the search for a director to establish the film’s visual language. Official updates regarding casting or a production timeline are expected as the project moves further into pre-production.
Do you think the survival mechanics of the game will translate well to a movie? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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