Sundance Fest Leaves Park City for Colorado in 2027

The cultural landscape of entertainment is witnessing significant shifts, from the venerable Sundance Film Festival preparing for a major relocation to the unexpected resurgence of classic board games as prime material for television adaptations. These developments highlight an industry in constant evolution, seeking new ways to engage audiences and sustain relevance.

Sundance Film Festival’s Impending Move from Park City

The Sundance Film Festival, a cornerstone of independent cinema for over four decades, is set to make a historic move, departing its long-time home in Park City, Utah, after the 2026 festival. The nonprofit Sundance Institute announced in March 2025 that Boulder, Colorado, will become the festival’s new host city starting in 2027.

For years, Park City has provided a picturesque, snowy backdrop for the premier independent film gathering, but the festival has reportedly outgrown the small resort town. Challenges such as the lack of sufficient theaters and affordable housing were cited as contributing factors to the decision. Boulder emerged as the chosen location after a year-long evaluation process that also considered Salt Lake City (with a smaller Park City presence) and Cincinnati, Ohio.

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival, scheduled from January 22 to February 1, 2026, will serve as a poignant farewell to Park City. This final Utah installment will feature a “Park City Legacy Program,” celebrating the festival’s rich history and shared experiences in the state. This program will include archival and restoration screenings of iconic films from past editions, artist talks with notable festival alumni, and a special community event to express gratitude to the local Utah community. The festival will also honor its founder, Robert Redford, who passed away in September 2025, with a commemorative screening of his first independent film, ‘Downhill Racer’ (1969).

Boulder’s appeal lies in its combination of small-town charm, an engaged community, natural beauty, and a vibrant arts scene. As a larger town than Park City, with approximately 100,000 residents, it offers more space for expansion. Initial plans envision the festival centered in downtown Boulder, utilizing various theaters and venues, and incorporating spaces around the Pearl Street Mall, with select spots on the University of Colorado-Boulder campus also playing a role. Colorado lawmakers have supported this transition with a proposed $34 million in tax credits over a decade, starting in 2027.

Television Rolls the Dice on Board Games

In a parallel trend, classic board games are experiencing a significant renaissance, not on tabletops, but on television screens. Iconic titles like Clue, Monopoly, and Catan are currently hot properties for TV development, signaling a broader industry interest in leveraging established intellectual property (IP).

Clue: A Double Dose of Mystery

The beloved murder mystery game, Clue, is getting not one, but two television adaptations. Sony’s TriStar Pictures and Sony Pictures Television have partnered with Hasbro Entertainment to develop a scripted one-hour mystery drama series. This scripted series is being spearheaded by writer-producer Dana Fox and director Nick Stoller. In a separate development, Netflix has greenlit a reality competition series based on Clue. In this unscripted format, participants will engage in a real-life game of deduction, stepping into the roles of classic characters like Colonel Mustard and Miss Scarlett, solving mysteries through mental and physical challenges, and making guesses to build a prize pot. This isn’t the first time Clue has ventured beyond the board; a classic 1985 comedy film adaptation starring Tim Curry remains a cult favorite.

Monopoly: From Boardwalk to Big Screen and Beyond

The iconic real estate trading game, Monopoly, is also expanding its presence in entertainment. Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap production company, alongside Lionsgate and Hasbro Entertainment, is developing a feature film adaptation. John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, known for writing and directing ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves,’ are attached to write the screenplay, aiming for a fresh, comedic take. Furthermore, Netflix has secured the rights to develop an unscripted reality competition series inspired by Monopoly. This show is envisioned as a large-scale social experiment where strategy, alliances, and competition will be key as contestants vie for fortune, reflecting the core mechanics of the board game.

Catan: Building a Universe

The popular strategy game Catan, where players build settlements and trade resources on a fictional island, is set to become a multi-faceted screen franchise at Netflix. Netflix has secured exclusive global rights to the game, with plans to develop a “sweeping development deal” that includes both live-action and animated films and television series, encompassing both scripted and unscripted formats. Producers involved include Darren Kyman from Asmodee, Pete Fenlon from Catan Studio, and Klaus Teuber’s sons, Guido and Benjamin Teuber. Jinny Howe, Netflix’s head of scripted series for the U.S. and Canada, highlighted that the game’s core elements of strategy and negotiation offer “endless opportunities for some serious drama.”

Why the Board Game Boom on TV?

The current trend of adapting board games for television can be attributed to several factors. Established board game brands come with built-in recognition and a loyal fanbase, offering a degree of pre-existing audience engagement. This reduces the risk associated with developing entirely new IP. The narrative potential within many board games, particularly those with rich lore or clear objectives like murder mysteries or resource management, provides a fertile ground for storytelling. Furthermore, the success of other game-to-screen adaptations, such as Netflix’s ‘Squid Game: The Challenge,’ demonstrates the viability of translating game mechanics and themes into compelling visual content.

Conclusion

As the Sundance Film Festival embarks on a new chapter in Boulder, leaving behind its cherished Park City roots, the entertainment industry continues to seek innovation and fresh perspectives. Simultaneously, the television landscape is increasingly looking to the past, revitalizing classic board games for modern audiences. These parallel developments underscore a dynamic environment where tradition meets transformation, and familiar concepts find new life on screens both big and small, demonstrating the enduring power of storytelling in all its forms.