A Magic 8 Ball Movie Is Being Rolled Out By Blumhouse
Mattel is getting serious about the movie business, with adaptations of its iconic toy lines for Barbie, Hot Wheels, Masters of the Universe, and more in the works. But what could possibly be next? Apparently, a Magic 8 Ball...horror movie? That's right, the fortune-telling device will be getting its own feature film adaptation courtesy of Blumhouse Productions, which is teaming up with Mattel to bring the Magic 8 Ball movie to the big screen.
There's nothing sinister about the big plastic ball that occasionally will tell you a plausible answer to a "yes or no" question, but in the hands of Blumhouse, there could be. The premiere horror studio behind hits like Get Out, Us, and Happy Death Day is getting in the toy adaptation game with a pretty innocuous subject, but with the talent that Blumhouse has access to, those crazy kids may just pull it off.
Deadline broke the news that Truth or Dare and Fantasy Island director Jeff Wadlow is attached to helm the yet-untitled Magic 8 Ball movie, for which he also wrote the script with his collaborators, Jillian Jacobs and Chris Roach. Mattel Films, which marks its first partnership with an independent studio with this project, released a statement from Robbie Brenner saying:
"Since the 1950s, Magic 8 Ball has inspired imagination, suspense and intrigue across generations. This iconic toy has a built-in connection with fans and untapped potential for storytelling. There are no partners better suited to tell the Magic 8 Ball story in collaboration with Mattel Films than Jeff Wadlow and Blumhouse Productions, whose unique approach to the thriller genre has captivated audiences worldwide and has gained widespread accolades."
Blumhouse founder Jason Blum added, "As fans of Mattel and their iconic brands, we're looking forward to bringing Magic 8 Ball, one of their most celebrated toys, to life, and playing against expectations in doing so. We look forward to partnering with Mattel Films to put this project on the fast track to the big screen and create a memorable experience for moviegoers."
This is such a random partnership, but Blumhouse has become such a reliable name in horror that this Magic 8 Ball movie may just end up working out. The toy doesn't have the supernatural connotations like the Ouija Board, nor the terrifying trauma associated with dolls, but having that history doesn't always result in a good movie. Maybe Blumhouse can roll with it and deliver a good Magic 8 Ball movie.