Several years ago, toy and board game company Hasbro and blockbuster producers Michael Bay, Andrew Form and Brad Fuller of Platinum Dunes approached Universal Pictures to discuss making Ouija as a microbudget film that explored the supernatural elements of the iconic board.
There is a long held belief that if you don’t follow the procedures of gameplay with the Ouija board, it’s possible for you to open a door to the spirit realm. As well, unless you do certain things to close that door, that phenomenon might follow you beyond playing at the table. This was a jumping-off point for the creators of the story.
Stephen Davis, president of Hasbro Studios and executive producer of Ouija, shares a bit of background on the project: “The Ouija brand offers great storytelling power that we knew would be very compelling when translated on the big screen. We worked … to bring the lore of the Ouija game to life and make it central to the storyline.”
Of the decision to make the film in this genre, Form surmises: “To have a device where you can talk to the other side is a perfect base for a horror movie.”
Producer Bennett Schneir adds that the Ouija board’s combination of wish fulfillment, desire for closure and fear of the unknown allows for an ideal vehicle for this type of movie: “You want to connect with the other side; you have questions. In the many, many stories of the Ouija board, there are always the rules that must be abided: Never use it in a graveyard, never use it alone, always say goodbye. If you follow the rules, good things will happen; if you break them, you better be careful.”
In the mid 1800s, a number of devices were used by those looking to contact loved ones taken too soon. In 1890, inspired by the fascination that people had with the unknown, entrepreneur Charles Kennard — alongside attorney Elijah Bond — formed the Kennard Novelty Company to produce and sell these “talking boards.” Legend has it that the founders of the company asked the board what they should name it, and it spelled out “O-U-I-J-A.” When asked what that meant, it spelled “G-O-O-D L-U-C-K.”
It quickly gained popularity, and by the 1920s the game became so commonplace that Norman Rockwell featured a couple with an Ouija board on their knees on the cover of The Saturday Evening Post.
Ouija is available starting Feb. 3 on Video On Demand. Check your cable system for availability.
© Universal Pictures Credit: Matt Kennedy
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