Netflix is turning Catan into a cinematic universe

Netflix has announced it’s officially setting sail for Catan, the hex-shaped island that’s fuelled countless friendship-ending game nights, with a full slate of scripted and unscripted projects inspired by the legendary board game.

The streamer has teamed up with Asmodee, the tabletop titan behind Ticket to Ride, 7 Wonders, and Exploding Kittens, to bring Catan to the screen for the very first time. The deal will include multiple projects, spanning live action, animation, and even reality formats.

Created by Klaus Teuber in 1995, The Settlers of Catan has sold over 45 million copies and been translated into 40+ languages, uniting strategy nerds and casual players alike in a shared cycle of diplomacy, betrayal, and sheep hoarding. The premise is simple: players land on the fictional island of Catan, gather resources (brick, wood, wheat, ore, and sheep), and build settlements while navigating alliances, robber attacks, and the crushing realisation that your friend just blocked your longest road.

“Millions of people have been enjoying Catan since it was created,” said Thomas Koegler, CEO of Asmodee. “It’s a gateway to modern board gaming — and a testament to how much board gaming is part of pop culture.”

The projects will be produced by Darren Kyman (Asmodee), Pete Fenlon (Catan Studio), and Guido and Benjamin Teuber, Klaus Teuber’s sons, alongside Roy Lee (Vertigo Entertainment), the producer behind It, Barbarian and The Lego Movie.

Netflix’s Jinny Howe, head of scripted series for North America, teased that the strategic nature of Catan lends itself to “endless opportunities for some serious drama,” adding: “We knew landing this deal would be as game-changing as a well-placed settlement.”

What could a Catan show look like?

No details have been revealed yet, but there’s plenty to speculate on. We’re expecting a sweeping fantasy adventure with a touch of political intrigue, think Game of Thrones if the White Walkers were replaced by resource scarcity and passive-aggressive trading.

A potential Catan drama series could explore settlers vying for dominance across the island’s different terrains, alliances forged and broken over scarce resources, and a looming threat from the island’s mysterious “robbers.”

An unscripted spinoff could take the form of a survival or strategy reality competition, a kind of Catan: The Island meets The Traitors, where contestants barter their way to victory instead of backstabbing over dinner. And given Netflix’s success with Exploding Kittens and Castlevania, an animated series set in a mythic, resource-rich world feels inevitable.

The Teuber family described the adaptation as “a new chapter” in their father’s legacy. “When our father first introduced Catan 30 years ago, he imagined a world where people would gather by trading, building, and settling together,” said Benjamin and Guido Teuber, co-CEOs of Catan GmbH. “Now, we’re thrilled to see that idea inspire storytelling on a global stage.”

For Netflix, it’s another move in its growing game-to-screen empire, joining Arcane, Castlevania, Exploding Kittens, Assassin’s Creed, and the upcoming Gears of War film.

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