- BGG rating
- 7.3
Movie Empire: Blockbuster Edition
- 1–4 players
- 45–120 min
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #12,082
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Movie Empire
2020
Rules assistance for Movie Empire
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 45–120 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.5/5
Rules assistant for Movie Empire
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Movie Empire is a board game released in 2020 for 1–4 players, 45–120 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Karsten Schulmann and its main mechanics are Set Collection and Worker Placement.
Expansions
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Movie Empire: Horror Edition
- 1–4 players
- 45–120 min
- 2020
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,610
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Jisogi: Anime Studio Tycoon
- 1–4 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2025
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,804
- BGG rating
- 6.9
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Party
- 2–4 players
- 40–60 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #11,480
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Last Week of Summer
- 1–4 players
- 45–90 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2026
- BGG rank
- BGG #27,182
- BGG rating
- 5.4
Pingwiny z Madagaskaru
- 2–4 players
- 45–60 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #31,234
- BGG rating
- 4.0
Black Mirror: NOSEDIVE
- 3–6 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #47
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Everdell
- 1–4 players
- 40–80 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #59
- BGG rating
- 8.2
On Mars
- 1–4 players
- 90–150 min
- Complexity 4.6/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #63
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Anachrony
- 1–4 players
- 30–120 min
- Complexity 4.0/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #87
- BGG rating
- 8.0
The Gallerist
- 1–4 players
- 60–150 min
- Complexity 4.2/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #90
- BGG rating
- 8.1
Darwin's Journey
- 1–4 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 3.9/5
- 2023
- BGG rank
- BGG #98
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Five Tribes: The Djinns of Naqala
- 2–4 players
- 40–80 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #103
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Fields of Arle
- 1–2 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 3.9/5
- 2014
About the game
Welcome to the world of Mr. Bartholomew Grumpy, the most prolific producer in Hollywood. In Movie Empire, you are a junior producer working for that guy and are competing with other players to be the heir to his throne. You do this by producing movies (a few big blockbusters or several small trash movies) and publish them at the right time in the right market and hit trends to get awards. But also keep an eye on pleasing your boss as this will have an influence on your assets. Movie Empire is a mix of worker placement and set collection for 1-4 players. And as Hollywood is a shark tank, you have the (completely optional!) black dossier variant, that adds a take that mechanism to the gameplay. Let the clubbing and stabbing commence! The game consists of four phases: Grumpy phase, working phase, premiere phase and upkeep phase. The most important phase is the working phase. This is where you send out your production assistants (a.k.a. workers) in order to get production assets, cast stars, buy scripts or do some other tasks. But since many tasks can only be occupied by one player, you have to choose your strategy carefully. The gathered resources have to be attached to a movie. Pay attention to special laying rules and requirements - for example, post-production has to happen after shooting the movie and not before. Then if you feel like it, prepare for releasing your movie. Choose a market (each one with its own advantage) and reap your rewards. If you release the right movie at the right time, get ready for an award. But don't forget your boss, Mr. Grumpy. The more he likes you, the more possibilities you have. The sympathy value defines your budget every round and can open a second production line for you. So, who's gonna be the best producer in town? —description from the designer
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Stimulus Games
Questions and answers
Movie Empire supports 1–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Movie Empire is 45–120 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Movie Empire for ages 14 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Movie Empire has a complexity rating of 2.5 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Movie Empire belongs to these categories: Movies / TV / Radio theme. Its main mechanics are Set Collection and Worker Placement. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Movie Empire are: Karsten Schulmann. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Movie Empire as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.