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‘Ouija’ Board Game Adaptation Picked Back Up By Universal

Sandy Schaefer — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 04:10:40 +0000

The Ouija board game movie adaptation was one of several Hasbro projects that Universal dropped last year. In a surprise move, the studio has re-acquired the film (albeit, a heavily reworked version).

Some readers might recall that peculiarly-named helmer McG (Charlie’s Angels, This Means War) was attached to direct the previous incarnation of Ouija. That was thought to still be true even after Universal gave the $100 million project the boot, seeing how screenwriter Marti Noxon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Fright Night) was hired on a few months later to rework the film’s script; it was presumed then that Noxon would get the upward spiraling cost under control and help convince another studio to fund the production.

In a new report, Heat Vision confirms that Universal is once again backing Ouija but makes no ...

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‘Ouija’ Movie Getting A Rewrite By ‘Fright Night’ Scribe

Sandy Schaefer — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:40:01 +0000

Back in late summer 2011, Universal decided that financing every other Hasbro board game movie adaptation out there wasn’t the brightest of ideas – especially since it remains to be seen whether or not the first new entry in that sub-genre, next year’s Battleship, is even going to prove lucrative. The studio therefore decided to give the boot to a handful of game-based projects, including Ridley Scott’s Monopoly and (previously, director McG’s) Ouija.

Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner has since offered assurances that the Ouija movie, in particular, is far from dead; the hiring of a new screenwriter for said project suggests that Goldner’s words were (indeed) more than just hot air.

Hasbro and production group Platinum Dunes (the Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street remakes) have hired on Marti Noxon ...

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‘Transformers 4′, ‘Ouija’ & More Updates From Hasbro CEO

Sandy Schaefer — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 15:40:12 +0000

It’s no secret that many Hasbro products are being fashioned as a new tentpole production – seeing how the list includes next year’s Battleship movie and the all-but-assured Transformers 4, among others. Hence why there’s good reason to listen to what CEO Brian Goldner has to say, in terms of updates on the company’s many cinematic projects.

Goldner has made it clear that Hasbro is not aiming to employ “the Marvel strategy” and start producing its own movies anytime soon. However, long-rumored film adaptations based on its products – like the Taylor Lautner-starring Stretch Armstrong and a Micronauts movie co-developed by J.J. Abrams – reportedly do feature the company’s head executives in a significant creative capacity.

The big news from Goldner concerns Hasbro being “in active discussions” with Paramount about a fourth Transformers movie – ones ...

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Universal Drops McG’s ‘Ouija’ Movie

Sandy Schaefer — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 19:42:02 +0000

The first of several Hasbro and Milton Bradley board game properties-turned-movies, Battleship, will arrive in theaters next summer. However, Universal is already being more cautious about exactly which game-based film projects it decides to move forward with.

Gore Verbinski’s long-in-development Clue movie was dropped by Universal a while back – and now the studio has also opted to not produce the Ouija movie being developed by director McG (Terminator: Salvation) and producer Michael Bay.

Vulture is reporting that the Hasbro project has already been offered to, but dismissed, by Paramount Pictures, which has made a bundle off Bay and Hasbro’s Transformers movies. There’s no word from the site about what the exact proposed budget for the Ouija adaptation, but it was apparently considerable enough ($100-150 million, perhaps) to scare off Universal. That’s actually ...

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McG’s ‘Ouija’ Movie Gets a New Writer

Rob Frappier — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 13:28:29 +0000

According to a new report, screenwriter Evan Spiliotopoulous is on board to write director McG’s upcoming Ouija board movie. Do you think he consulted with the spirits before agreeing to the gig?

Ouija, which, along with Candyland, Battleship, and Monopoly, is one of a handful of upcoming board game-turned-movies, has been described as an action-adventure film with elements of horror. So, is Spiliotopoulous is the right man for the job?

To date, the writer’s track record has been mostly comprised of direct-to-DVD sequels to Disney movies, such as The Lion King 1 1/2, so this will definitely be something different. As a plot device, the Ouija board offers innumerable narrative opportunities. The question is, which one do you choose?

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ouija is going ...

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Hasbro’s Ouija Board Says McG Will Be The Director

Paul Young — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 03:15:09 +0000

The executives at Universal gathered recently to discuss their choices in hiring a director for their upcoming film, Ouija. Stumped with making a decision they turned to the very thing that was the focus of their film – the Ouija Board. That’s when one of the interns brought out his brand new Hasbro Ouija Board and they all gathered around to ask the dearly departed for guidance in choosing a director.

Recently the directorial choices for Ouija were down to Terminator Salvation’s McG and The Crazies’ Breck Eisner but it would seem the spirits from the great beyond have sent their recommendation and Universal is listening to their advice. Deadline is now reporting the planchette has landed squarely on the letter “G” – so of course this indicates spirits want McG as director. As a result, ...

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McG and Breck Eisner Competing to Direct ‘Ouija’ Board Movie

Ross Miller — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 16:53:38 +0000

Whether you like it or not, a movie based on the classic Ouija board is on the way, with a script by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz (Tron: Legacy) already in place and Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes producing.

Universal has been hard at work trying to find a suitable director for the Ouija board movie, with names such as Sylvain White (The Losers), Pierre Morel (Taken), John Moore (Max Payne) and Scott Stewart (Legion) all being attached. Talks with those directors have apparently failed, but now two more directors have landed on Universal’s list: McG and Breck Eisner (The Crazies).

Heat Vision reports that Eisner pitched his take on Ouija a couple of weeks ago, while McG presented his take last Friday. There are no details ...

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Ouija Board Movie Adds Two Names To Director Wishlist

Mike Eisenberg — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 15:55:17 +0000

In case you forgot, or simply erased it from your memory, there is a Ouija movie in development. Michael Bay’s production company Platinum Dunes is helming the project, which based on a Hasbro product.

Pierre Morel (Taken) was in discussion to helm the film, but now two more directors have been added to the list – Sylvain White (The Losers) and Scott Stewart (Legion).

Platinum Dunes has an affinity for tackling movies with an already established fan base. In addition, Michael Bay has a pretty healthy relationship with Hasbro, ever since Transformers turned one of their products into a massive box office hit.

Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis wrote the script for Ouija, which will reportedly be a big-budget action-adventure. The pair also penned
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Weekend Movie News Wrap Up: October 24, 2010

Niall Browne — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 17:43:17 +0000

This weekend Paranormal Activity 2 captures the top spot; Tea Leoni joins Tower Heist; Shawn Ryan is Without Remorse; Pierre Morel is taken by Ouija; Mark Wahlberg and Kate Beckinsale have Contraband; Richard Branson and McG discover America, and more.

Box Office

Paranormal Activity 2 (read our review) scared away all the competition over the weekend. The horror sequel grossed a mighty $43.5 million over the three days– not bad for a film that only cost just $3 million to produce.

Jackass 3D dropped to second place after grossing almost 60% less than last weekend’s debut. Don’t feel too sorry for the Jackass crew – as the film still nabbed another $21 million for a $87 million total.

Bruce Willis’ Red held up exceptionally well. The action film banked about $15 million over the weekend for ...

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Ouija Board Movie Not a Horror Film?

Ben Kendrick — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 16:32:34 +0000

In one of the most obvious Hollywood examples of form over function, the upcoming Ouija board adaptation is not going to be a horror film.

Producer, Brad Fuller, spoke with Bloody Disgusting about the current direction of the Ouija film, which definitely hints at a more family-friendly angle:

“Ouija’ isn’t really a horror movie per se, it’s definitely more of a big action-adventure movie along the lines of…I gotta be careful what I compare it to. But you know, it’s like a big action-adventure movie. And that script…I’ve read a couple pages of it, it seems good. I think we’re getting the full script in the next month. And that’s a very exciting project for it, cause it’s a much bigger movie, and it gives us an opportunity to try something we haven’t ...

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‘Tron Legacy’ Writers Set To Write Ouija Board Movie

Ross Miller — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:08:31 +0000

Alongside what seems like every second toy or board game on the shelf, a Ouija board movie is apparently on its way to the big screen. Over time, Michael Bay (or at least his company, Platinum Dunes) has been attached to the project, which did give it some legitimacy. But for some reason I never thought they would go ahead and make one. Well I was wrong.

According to The Hollywood Reporter’s Heat Vision Blog, not only is Michael Bay going to be producing Ouija through Platinum Dunes (who were responsible for horror remakes such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th and the upcoming A Nightmare on Elm Street, FYI) alongside Brad Fuller and Andrew Form, but they have signed writers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz (Tron Legacy, Lost) to pen the script. Hasbro’s Brian ...

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