New Horror Film Based on the Magic 8 Ball Is on the Way From Blumhouse

The debut of Transformers in 2007 demonstrated the financial possibilities of developing a movie based on a toy, leading to a slew of films that aimed to replicate that success. Long before that blockbuster series, an adaptation of the Clue board game landed in theaters, blending horror with humor for a narrative that has gained a passionate cult following over the decades. Blumhouse Productions has also found success tackling another board game adaptation with Ouija and Ouija: Origin of Evil, with yet another film on the way inspired by a classic toy. Deadline has confirmed that Blumhouse is moving forward with a film inspired by the Magic 8 Ball.

“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,” Robbie Brenner of Mattel Films shared in a statement. “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.”

The toy contains a number of responses inside of it and, when someone asks it a question and shakes it, one of these answers is revealed to them. The film will be directed by Jeff Wadlow, who directed 2018’s Truth or Dare.

“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,” Jason Blum, founder of Blumhouse Productions, revealed. “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.”

It’s currently unclear how the narrative will explore the concept, though Blumhouse’s history of delivering audiences feature films based on the Ouija board and the adolescent game of truth or dare makes the studio the perfect place to develop the adaptation. Truth or Dare made roughly $95 million worldwide on an estimated budget of less than $4 million, yet only has 15% positive reviews on aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, which describes the film, “Truth or Dare‘s slick presentation isn’t enough to make this mediocre horror outing much more frightening than an average round of the real-life game.”

Stay tuned for details on the Magic 8 Ball movie.

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