Universal Pictures has made a series of deals with Hasbro to adapt board games and toys into big screen movies. Last year the studio signed Ridley Scott to develop a movie based on Monopoly. Over the past month it was announced that Platinum Dunes was developing a movie based around the Ouija board, Etan Cohen was writing a screenplay for Candyland with Enchanted director Kevin Lima to direct, and Steve Oedekerk to write a big screen adaptation of Stretch Armstrong.
And now comes news that Pirates of the Caribbean helmer Gore Verbinski has signed on with Universal to direct and produce a live-action adaptation of the board game Clue. While most of the other properties might seem like odd choices, Clue has a murder mystery storyline that seems much easier to turn into a narrative story.
As you know, the board game is set in a big mansion where a murder has taken place. The competitors try to uncover who committed the murder, Professor Plum, Ms. White, Col. Mustard, Miss Peacock, Mr. Green or Ms. Scarlet, what murder weapon was used, either a knife, rope, candlestick, wrench, pistol or a lead pipe, and what room the murder was committed in. The board game has made over $1 billion in sales over the last 61 years.
The board game was previously turned into a big screen film in 1985, and while the black comedy was a critical and financial failure at the time of it’s release, the film has gone on to develop a cult following on DVD and television airings. Most interesting is that the film actually is one of the only mainstream movies I know of which was released with alternative endings. Depending on which theater you screening the movie, moviegoers were presented with one of three different endings. Newspapers listed the film with an A, B or C depending on the ending included with the print. It would be interesting if they tried to do such a gimmick in the Internet age, and if the gimmick would result in more ticket sales.
Verbinski is an interesting choice because he has experience in bringing fantastical period stories to life with a great mix of realism and wonderful visuals. However, this is just one of the films that Verbinski has on his plate. I think I would much rather see his big screen adaptation of the video game Bioshock than another Clue movie.
Source /film
Thursday, February 26, 2009
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Awesome, I'm all for another CLUE, though they're hardpressed to match the STELLAR cast assembled the first time around.
ReplyDeleteI saw the '85 one in the theater, the "B" (Scarlet) ending - they handed out Cluepads like those from the boardgame. Later rented the video and ROARED at Peacock being the murderer. LOVE Eileen Brennan. The third ending makes so sense - I'm assuming that was the C ending, but the B one is first on the video release...maybe 'cause it's the best?
Wish the DVD had extras - there are deleted scenes that sometimes are added to the TV version, IIRC. I do like the Random Ending feature, though - after 20-some years of watching the 1985 movie (it's been a party movie for my circle of friends for years, we each take a character and camp it up, I do a fierce Peacock) it's nice to have a bit of suspense with which ending has been chosen.
-KiP
I'm with KiP, I'd like to see how they're gonna beat the '85 cast... especially Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn as Mrs. White, and Eileen Brennan as Mrs. Peacock — honest-to-God comedic brilliance.
ReplyDeleteI own a copy of "Clue" and I cant count how many times that I have watched it. I agree that the cast was stellar and the writing was superb. Therefore, I have high hopes and higher expectations. I am definitely looking forward to it. I only hope that they pick good actors and actresses to play the roles well. Not just pick people simply because they are big box office draws. The title itself "Clue" is the real draw.
ReplyDeleteI would like to see Jude Law play Watsworth, Megan Mullally as Mrs. White, Christina Hendricks as Miss. Scarlet along with Alec Baldwin as Col. Mustard just to start.
ReplyDeleteYuck.
DeleteI think the key to this movie working is if they don't try to make it like the original. They could still make an interesting and entertaining film if they did more like a thriller/darker take on things. That way, the comedic one can stand on its own.
ReplyDeleteI hope they use the story more from "Clue: Discover the Secrets" because the new version has more story than the origional game.
ReplyDeleteLove the original but a great cast would be as follows:
ReplyDeleteWadsworth – Michael Sheen
Mr. Body -Will Arnett
Colonel Mustard – Will Ferrel
Mr. Green – Jason Bateman
Professor Plum – Steve Carrell
Miss Scarlet – Cobie Smulders
Ms. White – Portia de Rossi
Mrs. Peacock – Susie Essman
Driver – Paul Rudd
Singing telegram girl – Jenna Fischer
Yvette – Jessica Biel
Policeman – Wendell Middlebrooks
FBI/Jehova Witness – Bill Hader
Cook - Margaret Cho
NO MORE GODDAMNED WILL FERREL!!!
Deletethey are filming this on my street over the next few days...i was trying to find out who the actors are that will be in it!
ReplyDeleteI hope they're creative. The flames speach by mrs white made me laugh my ass off :)
ReplyDeleteEspecially since it was completely improvised.
DeleteI would like to see endings showing any one of them as the killer, would make an awesome reference to the boardgame. :D