Roblox smash “Grow a Garden” secures film adaptation for theatrical release

Grow a Garden, one of the most viral games on Roblox, is being turned into a movie, according to Deadline.

The game, which launched in March and once reached 22.3 million concurrent players, becomes the second title from the platform to be lined up for a theatrical release in recent weeks.

Story Kitchen, the production company involved in earlier video game-to-film projects, signed an agreement with Splitting Point Studios in New Zealand to bring the farming game to theaters. The project builds on the game’s large built‑in audience across the platform, where 150 million daily active users log in.

Despite its popularity, Grow a Garden does not have a narrative built into the gameplay. The experience is centered around planting crops, selling them, and purchasing seeds that become more expensive over time.

The repetitive style is one of the reasons players stay engaged. The film adaptation will have to create a full storyline around a world that was not originally built for storytelling, but the producers believe they have a path for this.

Producers outline direction for the film

Dmitri Johnson, the co‑founder of Story Kitchen, said the movie will follow a group of city kids who discover a portal to the game world and travel into it before returning home.

Johnson said, “Grow a Garden was the game we felt we could do in a way that could be impactful and emotional and take us on an adventure while honoring the game itself. If we do our job right, this will be a family story and gets people to go outside.”

This agreement follows another film project tied to Roblox. Wind Sun Sky Entertainment, based in Vancouver, signed a deal last month to make a movie based on Jailbreak, a cops‑and‑robbers game by the developer Badimo.

Catherine Winder, the CEO of Wind Sun Sky, said the Jailbreak film will use the game’s mechanics as a reference point and will include “action, comedy and heart‑driven storytelling.”

She said, “Roblox is where today’s audiences already are, and it’s shaping the future of global entertainment,” and added she has “other properties in the works.”

Game culture and company performance context

Even though Grow a Garden is not known for story, it has quirks that could appear in the film. Janzen Madsen, the founder of Splitting Point and known online as Jandel, sometimes enters the live game to trigger unusual events like bizarre weather or giving out special seeds.

Players refer to this behavior as “admin abuse,” according to Janzen. “A little touch of Jandel Admin Abuse would be fun,” he added, suggesting the film may include those unpredictable in‑world moments.

Meanwhile, Roblox recently raised its annual bookings forecast again after strong spending inside viral titles. However, the company said operating margins are expected to shrink next year due to heavy investments in infrastructure and increased payouts to developers. The stock plunged by more than 10% after the new forecast.

Roblox has increased spending to handle its expanding user base and to address safety concerns following lawsuits tied to child protection.

The company also reported a 70% jump in daily active users, reaching over 150 million, which is its largest third‑quarter increase in roughly five years, as engagement has been pushed by viral games with massive reach.

Earlier last month, a game called Steal a Brainrot, where players collect characters tied to internet culture references, hit 25 million concurrent players, surpassing Grow a Garden’s record.

If you're reading this, you’re already ahead. Stay there with our newsletter.