Way back in the long-forgotten mists of 2006, there was a tale told in hushed tones about a movie featuring a ball. A magic ball. A Magic 8 Ball, in fact, that could grant film studios with a toy fetish the chance to make a movie based on such things. People laughed at the idea, it was dismissed as rumour or urban legend, but now it’s back. And it’s ready to kill again.
All right, so the last part isn’t real, but the idea of a film revolving around the Magic 8 Ball really was true, even though it had only reached the early development stage, with Tom Shadyac writing a comedy based on the toy favourite for Universal.
Then Evan Almighty happened to both Universal and Shadyac and things went quiet. But now it’s back, with Vulture reporting that Paramount has picked up the ball and is giving it a good hard shake to see what it says.
Given the current fever for pics based on board games and other playthings, it’s not shocking that the concept would be pulled out of the dusty limbo chest and shoved on to a slightly faster track than before.
Details are sketchy at this point, though the studio (which nabbed the rights in a deal with Mattel) has hired writers Jon Gunn and John Mann to start work on a National Treasure-style adventure pic. Chances of it working, office Magic 8 Ball? “Cannot predict now.” Some use you are!