Universal Pictures and Hasbro Announce “Ouija” Set for Release in 2013

Press Release: Universal Pictures announced an agreement with Hasbro Inc., Platinum Dunes and Blumhouse Productions to produce Ouija, a suspense thriller inspired by one of Hasbro’s most iconic brands.

Ouija will be produced by Brian Goldner and Bennett Schneir for Hasbro, Michael Bay, Brad Fuller and Andrew Form for Platinum Dunes and Jason Blum for Blumhouse Productions. Platinum Dunes has found success with their suspense projects including popular remakes of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Amityville Horror, Friday the 13th, and A Nightmare on Elm Street. It is currently working on a re-boot of the Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles for Paramount Pictures with Jonathan Liebesman directing. Blumhouse is known for its huge success with low-budget, high concept films including films in the Paranormal Activity franchise and Insidious. Ouija is the latest on a slate of recently announced projects to be produced through Blumhouse Productions’ first-look deal with Universal including Vigilandia, which Blumhouse is also producing with Platinum Dunes, Mockingbird and Not Safe for Work.

Hasbro and Universal recently teamed to produce the epic action-adventure Battleship, opening in the U.S. on May 18. Hasbro also has G.I. Joe: Retaliation releasing June 29 and Transformers 4 in the works for 2014, both with Paramount Pictures.

Enjoyed around the world by generations of fans the Ouija board was created by William Fuld in the 1890’s at the height of the spiritualism movement. The Ouija board features the letters of the alphabet, the numbers 0-9, the words, “yes,” “no,” and “goodbye.” Users place their hands on a planchette at the board’s center and ask questions. The planchette’s movements indicate the answers. The board was an immediate hit in Fuld’s day and has intrigued generations since then. Ouija still follows the same rules including these three: Never use it alone, never use it in a graveyard and always say goodbye.