Lancashire boy, 10, stars in first feature-length gamer movie about Roblox (2025)

The film hits Vue cinemas across the UK this weekend

A 10-year-old Lancashire boy is starring in the world’s first feature-length gamer movie about a Roblox competition.

Blackburn native Ilyaan Dar will be in cinemas across the nation this weekend as he attempts to win the title of the ‘UK’s ultimate gamer’.

Ilyaan is one of six children battling it out in Kartoon Channel's Gaming Challenge UK, which will see them competing on popular video game Roblox.

Set to be released in Vue Cinemas across the UK on Saturday, April 19, the movie will feature British children, aged between nine and 12, taking part in eight exclusive Roblox challenges.

The two young finalists will face-off in one final match to try and secure a grand prize and the coveted title.

Ilyaan has been gaming since the age of six, with the youngster also passionate about archery, horseriding, gymnastics and making YouTube videos.

Believing in his son is Ilyaan’s father Ikrash, who is married to NHS pharmacist Laila, after he saw an ad on social media and thought he’d be perfect for it.

“I told Ilyaan I’d seen a Roblox competition where you can win a PS5 games console. I’d already promised him one if he got good grades, and thought if he won it, it would be a win-win.

“Ilyaan has always loved gaming, he’s one of those kids. So whenever an opportunity comes up, I like to open doors for him. We’re in a video game era. Kids are either playing games, or they’re watching videos of kids playing games. I’d rather Ilyaan be the kid playing.

“From a young age, we did a little trial of creating YouTube videos, as he’s always had a really good persona and charisma on video. I thought the competition would be a good opportunity, a step up from him doing our videos,” Ikrash said.

He added “We applied, and got a call from the producers, and we started having Zoom meetings and everyone went out of their way to meet our needs. Really commendable.”

Joining Ilyaan in the movie is Jaymee, 9, from Fife, Scotland, Thomas, 10, from Cornwall, Ottie, 11, from Surrey, Isaac, 12 from North Yorkshire, and Abigail, 11, from Hartlepool, County Durham.

Each contestant were selected from thousands of enthusiasts to appear in the movie. All had the full permission from their parents or legal guardians.

The pre-recorded 85-minute film, will see the six competitors taking on eight exclusive Roblox levels, which include dinosaurs, cats, shark tanks, obstacle courses and races.

Reflecting on being in a movie, Ilyaan said: “I loved meeting new gamers and making friends. It was amazing to meet the producer Josh as well as the presenter, Frankie. Usually I would not play Roblox the whole day but because filming was all done on one weekend I got to play Roblox for hours on end!

“It was also really fun and interesting to learn how everything was put together - we had to learn to use software's such as OBS (a screen recording software) and discord (a multi-streaming video and chat communication interface).

“The producers gave us some time at the start of each day to get to know each other and play games outside of the competition. Everyone was really friendly and had fun.”

Each level of the challenge sees players unlocking a new prize in the prize portal. The further a gamer makes it in the competition, the more valuable the prizes get.

Describing Ilyaan as someone who ‘picks things up very quickly’, his dad was delighted with how he fared in the movie.

“He was one of the youngest competing in the Roblox film, and we just left him to his own devices and every so often we’d hear him screaming from joy in his room.

“He won a PS5, a gaming laptop, the headset, and Roblox Robux money. But the prizes were secondary. The real prize was him having fun, him getting his face out there and being appreciated by an agency in Beverly Hills in Los Angeles, so that was the main prize,” Ikrash said.

Noting that it was a ‘big achievement’ and he ‘only usually plays Roblox for fun’, Ilyaan is looking forward to continue chasing his dreams moving forward.

He said: “I would love to be a game developer or YouTuber because I can have fun at what I do and influence people to do good.

“More than anything I just want to be a good person and help people. I am really lucky that my family have given me lots of opportunities and supported me in everything I do.”

Kartoon Channel’s Gaming Challenge UK is out in select Vue Cinemas from April 19.