‘Ouija’ Movie Back On at Universal

Universal dropped the “Ouija” movie in August — and paid Hasbro a $5 million fee to do so

"Ouija," a movie Universal ditched in August, has found a new incarnation at the studio, Universal said Monday.

The initial version of "Ouija" was to be a big-budget film. The new one will be a low-budget, high-concept suspense thriller with Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes and Jason Blum's Blumhouse Productions attached to produce.

The movie is slated for a 2013 release.

When Universal dumped the project in August, it paid Hasbro a $5 million fee.

That version of the picture was a tentpole, and at the time, an individual close to the studio said that the budget was right for the film, but that the film wasn't right for Universal.

The new "Ouija" is a scaled-down project.

Brian Goldner and Bennett Schneir will produce for Hasbro. Bay, Brad Fuller and Andrew Form will produce for Platinum Dunes and Jason Blum is producing for Blumhouse Productions.

Platinum Dunes and Blumhouse are now in production on the low-budget sci-fi thriller "Vigilandia."

Universal's "Battleship," also based on a Hasbro game, is set for release May 18. Liam Neeson and Taylor Kitsch star in that big-budget movie.

But the studio is no longer making "Stretch Armstrong" or "Candy Land." Relativity has acquired "Stretch" and Sony is making "Candy Land."

Last year, Universal dropped plans for a screen remake of the popular board game "Clue."

Comments