Movies
Screenwriters Give ‘Ouija’ Update, Smaller And Scarier!
Last month it was announced, that after deciding to make its adaptation of Hasbro board game Ouija a low-budget pic, Universal Pictures recruited the team of Juliet Snowden and Stiles White (The Knowing, Boogeyman, Poltergeist, The Possession) to both rewrite and helm the pic, reports Variety.
Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz wrote the original drafts for Ouija when it was envisioned as a big-budget pic. The project began at Universal but then shifted to Paramount with McG on board to direct. But Par could never come to terms on a budget, which spurred McG to exit the project. Universal re-acquired Ouija in March after Par put it in turnaround. Blum was brought on at that time to help Bay, Form and Fuller reimagine the property as a low-budget pic.
Last night STYD caught up with the pair who gave a brief update. White said “We just love the idea, when Juliet was growing up, her older sister had a Ouija board, my grandparents had a Ouija board up on the shelf in the closet, so I remember… I had a healthy sense of caution with it. I love the idea it’s a game, but not really a game. It’s sold as a game because where else can you put it in the store?” Snowden added, “Contact spirits with something you find on the shelf at Walmart or Target? That’s where we’re coming from with the story, it’s not just about one board, it’s any board and that’s what makes it scary.”
Looks like they’re ditching the adventure angle and headed more into horror. Jason Blum is producing through his Blumhouse Prods. shingle, as will Michael Bay through his Platinum Dunes banner along with Platinum partners Andrew Form and Brad Fuller. Universal plans to release Ouija sometime in 2013. Snowden let slip that it might be in October.
Just three years after Evil Dead Rise set the box office on fire with a $147 million worldwide haul, Evil Dead Burn was unleashed into theaters this past weekend. Unfortunately, the opening weekend for Evil Dead Burn wasn’t quite as strong as the debut for its predecessor.
Evil Dead Burn debuted in 3,004 theaters across North America and scared up $13.7 million in its domestic debut, about $10 million less than Evil Dead Rise‘s $24.5 million opening.
Worldwide, Evil Dead Burn debuted with $25 million. Given the film’s production budget was somewhere in the ballpark of $20 million, all is certainly not lost for Evil Dead Burn. That said, Warner Bros. and New Line no doubt hoped that Burn would top or at least match the domestic opening of Rise, but instead we’re looking at a case of diminishing franchise returns.
The good news for fans? Next installment Evil Dead Wrath has already wrapped production for expected release in 2028, so there’s no danger of the franchise ending with Evil Dead Burn.
Evil Dead Wrath from director Francis Galluppi (The Last Stop in Yuma County) is currently set for theatrical release on April 7, 2028, though that could change in the coming months.
Will the Evil Dead franchise be taking a break after Evil Dead Wrath? That all depends on how Wrath performs at the box office. But for what it’s worth, the post-credits scene at the end of Evil Dead Burn suggests that the franchise’s creators are hopeful for a bright future ahead.
The critical reception for Evil Dead Burn was a bit less positive than the reception to Evil Dead Rise, with Rise hitting 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and Burn currently sitting at 71%. It’s interesting to note, however, that the “Popcornmeter” on Rotten Tomatoes is a bit higher for Burn than it was for Rise, with Burn‘s currently at 80% and Rise‘s sitting a tad lower at 76%.
The site’s “Popcornmeter” scores are decided by users, rather than verified movie critics.
Which do you prefer? Evil Dead Rise or Evil Dead Burn? Sound off below.
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