Platinum Dunes working on film based on Hasbro game
David Berenbaum and Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes have been brought on deck to bring Hasbro's supernatural game "Ouija Board" to the big screen. The project is set up at Universal, where Hasbro has a six-year strategic partnership.
Platinum Dunes' Bay, Andrew Form and Brad Fuller will produce "Ouija" along with Hasbro.
Although the specific log line for the film is being kept under wraps, the film will be a supernatural adventure with the Ouija board playing an integral part of the story. The movie is not taking a "Jumanji"-like approach, which involved a game coming to life.
While divination or spiritual boards have been around for centuries, they began being sold as novelty items in the late 1800s, with the first Ouija board, one with an alphabet on it, being patented in 1890. Players' fingers are placed on a small planchette that mysteriously moves to letters and numbers in order to spell out messages from beyond the earthly realm.
The board has been produced by Hasbro's Parker Brothers since 1966, with millions being sold worldwide.
Bennett Schneir, Hasbro's senior vp and managing director of motion pictures will oversee the project for Hasbro.
Berenbaum penned "Elf" and worked on "The Spiderwick Chronicles," "Zoom," and "The Haunted Mansion." The scribe was approached by Hasbro before the company's partnership with Universal and his deal only very recently closed.
Platinum Dunes, known for its horror remakes, is working on "Unborn," an original supernatural thriller being directed by David Goyer.
The project is another example of WMA synergy at work: the agency reps Hasbro, Berenbaum and Platinum Dunes.
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