Universal Hires 'Kung Fu Panda' Writers for 'Candy Land' Movie

It has beenover two yearssince Universal signedEnchanteddirector Kevin Lima to helm a live-action visit to Hasbro’s Candy Land and, unfortunately, the project has resurfaced with the hire of two writers.

Jonathan AibelandGlenn Berger, who wrote both Kung Fu Panda movies for DreamWorks Animation, are the latest screenwriters to board the movie, the third and fourth thus far in this protracted process.

TheHollywood Reportersays the studio is envisioning an epic, live-action adventure and speculates it could involve the game’s quest to find the lost king of Candy Land.

The project is one of four movies Universal agreed to as part of a six-year contract with Hasbro signed inFebruary 2008. This includes the laughable, big budget adaptation ofBattleshipcoming in 2012 under the direction of Peter Berg that involves a fleet of naval warships battling an alien invasion. The script reads like a hokier version ofIndependence Day(especially“pegs” that explode on the ship’s deck) with a host of cliche characters (Taylor Kitsch’s loose cannon and Rihanna’s badass female officer). But with at least $200 million sunk into this endeavor, this is either going to be the nextTransformers— which isn’t exactly the high water mark of cinema— or a colossal financial failure.

There’s also an epic, untitledOuija Board moviein the works directed by McG and produced by Michael Bay; aStretch Armstrongflick eventually happening with Taylor Lautner and director Rob Letterman; and a long delayed but sadly not dead take on the classic game Monopolywith Ridley Scott attached to direct.

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