If you think that a film based on the long-popular Hasbro board game Ouija is a bad idea, you are not alone. Nevertheless, some over at Universal Pictures seem to think that THIS is the next (or first, rather) big thing to come from the pact between the two companies. Though properties like Monopoly, Risk and Stretch Armstrong continue to be developed, Ouija already has a script courtesy of TRON: Legacy’s Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and a release date set for November 9th 2012. One of the major missing pieces in this puzzle is a director, but according to The Hollywood Reporter the studio already has its eye on a few potential filmmakers.
Both McG and Breck Eisner have recently been connected to the project. The source claims that both separately pitched their vision of the film to studio execs over the last two weeks and it’s now up to Universal to decide who will helm this reported $80-$100 million feature. Spotty choices, if you ask me. True, Eisner made a better-than-expected rehash of George Romero’s The Crazies earlier this year (the scares were visceral). Unfortunately he also crashed-and-burned with the abysmal franchise non-starter Sahara, an undeniable critical and financial failure. McG has had plenty of success with his pair of Charlie’s Angels films and made the solid sports drama We Are Marshall but left fans divided over his take on the Terminator mythology with 2009’s Terminator Salvation. Of course, he wouldn’t face similar expectations if hired for Ouija because there simply aren’t any.
Though little is known about the project, Kitsis and Horowitz have claimed that it will not be a horror film and will instead center on a supernatural family adventure on par with Indiana Jones and The Mummy. Because of this description, I’m going to call McG the better choice simply because he has experience with large productions that have paid off. Ouija would be in the same vein as Eisner’s big-budget flop and I just don’t see the logic in investing that kind of money into his creative vision for this film. Don’t get me wrong: I believe that there are better filmmakers suited for Ouija, but I wouldn’t be totally opposed to watching a McG directed supernatural family adventure.
What do you think? Who should helm the untitled Ouija project? Let us know your thoughts!
Source: THR
