McG, Breck Eisner Vying for 'Ouija' Board Movie

Universal is still trying to pin a director to its adaptation of the Ouija Board, the supernatural Hasbro toy only“played” at teenage sleepovers now inexplicably being turned into an family-friendly adventure.

McG (Terminator Salvation) and Breck Eisner (The Crazies) both pitched their visions to studio execs recently, according toTHR, who are expected to make their decision over Hollywood’s holiday break. The studio has already heard from and passed on Sylvian White (The Losers), Pierre Morel (Taken), Scott Stewart (Priest), and John Moore (The Omen).

The writers,Tron: Legacyscribes Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, compared their take to Indiana Jones and its imitators, likeThe Mummyand the ironically-titled National Treasure.

Neither director is particularly well-suited for this tentpole-type mainstream entertainment, especially since Eisner directed the forgettable Saharanot long ago. McG’s Terminator and Charlie’s Angels films don’t inspire confidence either. Ultimately, we’re not expecting much from whoever Universal chooses, given the script’s one-dimensional origins written by the weakest link(s) of the reborn Tron franchise. ”Stop moving the arrow!” ”I’m not moving it!” Pause for dramatic effect. Aaaand… scene.

The silver lining isOuijawill hit theatersafterPeter Berg’s Battleship; another Hasbro property becoming a movie and another imitating a previous blockbuster (in this case,Independence Day) in hopes of replicating its success. It certainly has the campy characters down.  Once you stack all the Hasbro movies together (Transformers, G.I. Joe, Battleship, Ridley Scott’sill-advisedMonopoly), a Ouija Board movie doesn’t seem so bad.

Universal has already set a November 9, 2012 release, so a director announcement is expected soon.

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