Adaptations, sequels, reboots -- nary a day goes by without news of some newfangled iteration of entertainment properties big and small, beloved and forgotten. You can’t be blamed for yawning in the face of all this unoriginality. Yet the burgeoning big screen version of Hasbro’s “Candy Land” board game should be a lesson to every would-be producer: assemble enough top-tier talent and even the most jaded cinemagoer has got to get excited.
The “Candy Land” script is being penned by “Tropic Thunder” scribe Etan Cohen and directed by Kevin Lima, the helmer behind the surprisingly good “Enchanted.” After throwing together this stellar crew, the film’s exec producer and CEO of Hasbro Brian Goldner dished out an MTV News exclusive first look at the film’s development -- details of which have not been publicly discussed before.
So, er, what the heck is this movie going to be about? Read more...
Bringing board games to the box office may sound ridiculous at face value, particularly if the game is "Monopoly" and the director is "Alien" and "Blade Runner" visionary Ridley Scott. But Scott and executive producer Brian Goldner, who also happens to be the CEO of "Monopoly" owner Hasbro, have a single driving plot device that they hope will get audiences' attention -- the economy.
"The whole world is about the financial markets," Goldner told MTV News. "You can’t turn on the news today without understanding the financial markets and what’s going on out there."
If there is one underlying theme that will resonate with filmgoers across the world right now, it's the drama behind money and houses. Owning railroads and big red hotels may be a little outside of that everyday scope, but Goldner, who is also producing films based on "Stretch Armstrong" and the "Ouija Board," sees a feature-length story to be told within the the "personal story" he characterizes as the "Monopoly" experience that is worthy of Scott's direction. Read more...
Hasbro is set to bring a movie about its mysterious, possibly prophetic Ouija board game to the big screen, but the man behind the project wants to be clear about one thing: this isn’t going to be some G-rated, “Oh no, it’s alive!” weak sauce “Jumanji” knock-off.
“‘Ouija’ is not a board game come to life,” said Hasbro CEO and executive producer on the film Brian Goldner.
In the first interview about the adaptation, Goldner gave MTV News an exclusive peak into the production and promised a spooky film with horror genre elements that seem reminiscent of supernatural thrillers like “The Ring” and “The Gift.”
Goldner explained the filmmakers are keeping two operating principles in mind while creating a movie around a game in which players ask questions and attempt to communicate with otherworldly spirits: one, be careful what you wish for; and two, is Ouija just a game or is there something deeper and more sinister going on? Read more...
Well, I have to admit I didn't see this one coming. Long-time fans of the "G.I. Joe" comics are familiar with multiple version of the G.I. Joe's base known as "The Pit." While the locations changed -- from underneath a chaplain's school to a multi-story bunker in the Utah desert -- the fundemental idea and structure of their headquarters remained the same...an underground fortress.
Bearing that in mind, I've been curious to see how director Stephen Sommers planned on tackling the Joe lair. I had naturally assumed it would follow the same format. I assumed wrong.
The classic "Pit" has gone mobile; it's now a giant vehicle ringed with turrets and presumably a huge interior cabin. Read more...
When Hasbro and Universal struck a deal to turn toy and game properties into movies, I don't know that we ever thought it would go this far. "Transformers" and "G.I. Joe" made sense, as they had cartoons and comic books to make movies out of. Then came plans to turn board games like "Monopoly" and "Candyland" into movies -- plans that attracted talent like Ridley Scott. Now comes "Stretch Armstrong." According to Variety, Steve Oedekerk ("Bruce Almighty") has been hired to pen a script for a superhero comedy based on the stretchy, half-naked toy.
Surprisingly, this is not the first attempt to get Stretch Armstrong onto the big screen. In 1998, Disney attempted to make a Stretch movie starring Danny DeVito, and later tried to revive the character with Jackie Chan. Try not to contemplate how scary a stretching DeVito or Chan would be. Read more...
If you haven't already, you should probably read my interview with Hasbro chieftain Brian Goldner. As the Executive Producer on Stephen Sommers' upcoming "G.I. Joe" action flick, it's Goldner that knows the inside skinny on Hollywood's take on the fan-favorite franchise. So it was a blast for me -- a huge fan of the Marvel comics -- to get an extended chat with the toymaker's new CEO to discuss the secrets of "G.I. Joe."
My article (read it here) reveals that the film will focus on the comics (yay), will largely portray the rise of Cobra Commander, and that it'll still have a healthy dose of patriotism, among other tidbits. But one of the more interesting items that didn't make the article was whether the movie would feature some of G.I. Joe's impressive range of armored vehicles. Read more...
"Indiana Jones 4” may be a year away, but Lucasfilm -- led by the father of modern movie merchandising -- is already gearing up for a promotional onslaught that will stretch from toy lines to fast food.
Like "Star Wars" before it, Hasbro will develop a line of action figures, vehicles and games, with LEGO handling the set-building side of the franchise. LucasArts, for its part, will release "Indiana Jones" video games that will "allow players to live" the famed archaeologist's adventures. Additional companies like Hallmark, Random House, Scholastic and DK Publishing will also tackle "Indiana Jones 4” products ranging from greeting cards to the expected novel adaptation. And in case fans get hungry waiting for the film's May 22, 2008 release, they can snack on "Indy"-branded items from Burger King and MARS (the fellas behind M&Ms). But that's not all...Lucasfilm promises more partners to come.
What would you like to see? Personally, we're saving up for the Short Round bobblehead. Chime in below with your thoughts.
