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UPFRONTS 2013: The Overachievers 
The next hot directing job: Ouija, which will follow Battleship as the next Hasbro branded property to move into production at Universal since the Rob Letterman-directed, Taylor Lautner-attached Stretch Armstrong got pushed back and probably won’t start until 2013. The studio is still talking to directors, but I’ve heard that the three candidates in the mix at the moment are Taken helmer Pierre Morel, The Losers helmer Sylvain White, and Scott Stewart, who just completed the Screen Gems pic Priest. The pic is being produced by Hasbro’s Brian Goldner and Bennett Schneir along with Platinum Dunes partners Michael Bay, Brad Fuller and Andrew Form. Universal is planning to get the film into production next summer, for release around Thanksgiving 2012. That will follow on the heels of the Peter Berg-directed Battleship, which opens May 18, 2012. Ouija‘s a big picture, with a budget targeted around $80 million-$100 million. The script is by Tron: Legacy writers Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis. A decision will be made in the next two weeks, because all three of those filmmakers are being courted for other jobs.
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I think Jonah Hill would be great as the voice of the Ouija board.
Isn’t Ouija public domain can’t anyone do this movie. Wow Universal needs a tentpole and this is gonna be a bonfire of 80 million dollars. They need better producers on that lot cause their execs are a mess.
seriously, what is taking so long with the Chutes and Ladders Imax 3D i’ve been hearing about?
That is hilarious!
That is freakin’ hilarious!
Or maybe Trivia Pursuit!!!
You are joking…but it’s going to happen. Bank on it.
Yowtch. You think this is a rip off of the indie spirit board movie, The Invited that screend at Shriekfest in ’08? The movie had a solid buzz at the show, not sure if it got released. An 80 million dollar horror film based on the Ouija board? Sounds like they’re bucking for a kids Jumaji kind of film…
80-100 mil budget for a movie based on an ouiji?
lol gimme a break. This is a bad business move. I can see a budget of 20 mil maybe. But 100mil? Get ready to owe a lot of money.
And why would a director want this pic? This has to make at least 150 for the studio to see any real profits. Just stupid.
LOOKS LIKE WME IS DOING A GREAT JOB!!!!
It can’t…I…just…I can’t…
Any word on the Connect Four pitch making the rounds? I understand the sis is pretty sneaky.
awful. just awful.
Just finished my “Quilted Northern” spec.
It’ll sell. Because it is both SOFT and STRONG.
that’s funny
If I was a filmmaker, I wouldn’t touch this. Call me superstitious but…you’re not even supposed to have one in your house.
agree. depending on how much the script actually incorporates the use of the board, it sounds like it’s soaked with production curses and bad luck (ex: poltergeist, exorcist, the omen). hey, let’s just hope one of those curses comes early and halts pre-production immediately!
The guy who directed “The Losers” should not even be in consideration for this unpromising project. Pet food commercials? Maybe. Major motion pictures? Not on your life, if “The Losers” is any indication of his alleged talent.
P.S. The concept sounds L-A-M-E. Only in Hollywood.
What next? “Manimal: The Movie” ?
Pierre Morel is a terrible idea for this. From Paris with Love was a hackjob and he took DUNE into the development ditch. Not the guy to hire if you want to fast track your movie. The Losers wasn’t a great script but at least it had style and Stomp the Yard was fun. I’m sure we’re not far from a MANIMAL film.
I smell a Razzie nom, that is if this movie ever gets made. I think Pierre Morel is the only director who can take a GO movie (DUNE) and send it to the depths of development hell.
Did no one see Legion? The only redeeming feature of that flick was the old woman in support hose going crazy. Priest apparently makes Legion look like a hit. I doubt Scott Stewart will even be able to get another movie from Poppa Culpepper.
this script is HORRIBLE, one of the worst ones I’ve read this year
Doesn’t matter though, cuz there’s PRE-AWARENESS — right, studios?
…which means it will almost defintely be made. I give almost any project the benefit of the doubt, because many great movies suck on paper (Star Wars, anyone?), but this sounds terrible. & that budget estimate has to be way off, unless it includes all P&A.
Pffft. That’s nothing. You should read the script for Peter Berg’s Battleship movie. Truly, truly awful.
It’s like someone took Abrams’ Star Trek movie and tried to remake it aboard a US Naval ship in present day Hawaii. It even features the same ‘disappearing father’ scene at the start of the script.
The aliens are shameless copies of the aliens from HALO (The Covenant) and it even features Rihanna as a weapons experts who has been lifting weights since she was in High School.
Consider me there day one, Summer 2012 to take in this car crash.
Spectacular news for the teeming multitude who have been breathlessly awaiting the reboot of the Witchboard franchise!
This is either going to be the most expensive derivative piece of &@#$%
or a very successful left field adaptation, in the way that Disney
made a successful franchise from a dated themepark ride!
I remember when this was being sold as a board game as a kid. Some brilliant (read batsuit crazy) executive got the idea that playing with the spirit world was the perfect light afternoon activity for kids ages 6 and up.
I think it’s time for the “Sorry!” movie, myself. If it underperforms, it basically comes with a built-in apology.
We were told from HASBRO we cannot use the name OUIJA or the board in my MEASLY 2MM budgeted film. So out it goes, so much for free advertising!
Ouija. The writers have run out of creativity, methinks. Ouija, I ask you, what’s next? Beer Pong in 3D?
What’s the concept again? A wisecracking brother and sister visiting their estranged grandparents for the summer find an old Ouija board in their dusty attic and when they start to play, animals come out of it and Robin Williams makes a guest appearance? Ballz, this movie was only greenlit because some choch young ‘up-and-coming’ exec saw the Ouija Board ‘cameo’ in Paranormal Activity and thought he’d struck gold. Not in this Hollywood.