:Ouija (2014 film)

Debbie recalls playing Ouija with her best friend Laine as children. In present day, she throws her Ouija board into the fire and implies to Laine that something strange happened with the board. After Laine leaves, the Ouija board reappears in Debbie's bedroom. Debbie becomes possessed and hangs herself inside her home.

Laine attends Debbie's wake with her boyfriend Trevor, sister Sarah, friend Isabelle, and Debbie's boyfriend Pete. The five friends meet at Debbie's house and use her Ouija board to try communicating with her. Strange things happen, and a presence smashes Pete's hand and face into a mirror. The friends start finding the phrase "Hi friend" (a message communicated during the Ouija board session) written in different places, like Isabelle's car and Pete's desk. Thinking Deb is trying to communicate with them, they have another Ouija session and discover that they are actually in contact with a spirit calling itself "DZ." Laine sees the image of a little girl with her mouth sewn shut. The girl warns them to run because her mother is coming. Laine later learns that Deb found the Ouija board in her attic and played alone.

Later, while preparing a bath, Isabelle is possessed and killed. Laine and Pete search Deb's attic and find a box of old photographs that belonged to the previous residents. While researching the previous family's history, they learn of a little girl named Doris Zander who went missing. Doris' sister Paulina, now an old woman committed to a psychiatric hospital, explains that her mother was a medium and used Doris as a vessel for the dead to speak through. Their mother went mad and sewed Doris' mouth shut, killing her. She tells Laine that there is a secret room in the house where Laine must find Doris' hidden body and unstitch her mouth in order for the girl to banish their mother. The friends go back to the house, where Laine finds Doris' corpse and cuts the stitches on her mouth. Doris' mother's spirit protests, but Doris chases away the ghost. Pete goes back to his house but is possessed and killed by Doris.

Laine revisits Paulina, realizing that she was in allegiance with Doris all along and had intentionally lied. Doris is the evil entity and her mother was trying to stop the friends from summoning her.The prequel film Ouija: Origin of Evil reveals that the spirit inhabiting the body of Doris is actually that of a Polish man named Marcus. Laine's grandmother advises the sisters to destroy Doris' body and the Ouija board. Doris' ghost drowns Trevor and captures Sarah to sew her mouth shut. Laine plays the Ouija board alone to draw the spirit's attention. Doris starts possessing Laine, but before she can take the latter's life, Debbie's ghost appears and helps Laine defeat Doris, keeping her at bay so Sarah and Laine can throw Doris' body and the Ouija board into the furnace, stopping the paranormal activity. Later, Laine finds that the planchette has mysteriously appeared back at her home and looks through it, as the screen cuts to black and the movie ends.

{{div col}}

• Olivia Cooke as Laine Morris
• Afra Sophia Tully as young Laine
• Ana Coto as Sarah Morris
• Izzie Galanti as young Sarah
• Daren Kagasoff as Trevor
• Bianca Santos as Isabelle
• Douglas Smith as Pete
• Shelley Hennig as Debbie Galardi
• Claire Beale as young Debbie
• Sierra Heuermann as Doris Zander
• Sunny May Allison as young Doris
• Lin Shaye as Paulina "Lina" Zander
• Claudia Katz Minnick as The Mother / Alice Zander
• Vivis Colombetti as Nona
• Robyn Lively as Mrs. Galardi
• Matthew Settle as Anthony Morris

{{div col end}}

Ouija began development in May 2008 with Universal Pictures attached.{{cite news|last=Kit|first=Borys|title=Michael Bay conjures 'Ouija' movie|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/michael-bay-conjures-ouija-movie-112729/|access-date=January 29, 2022|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|date=May 28, 2008}} David Berenbaum was hired to write the script, while Michael Bay, Andrew Form, and Bryan Fuller of Platinum Dunes were slated to produce.{{cite web|last=Tilly|first=Chris|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2008/05/29/ouija-feature-planned|title=Ouija Feature Planned|date=May 29, 2008|website=IGN|access-date=July 11, 2022}} In October 2010, the studio had set a release date of November 21, 2012.{{cite web|last=Fischer|first=Russ|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/511916/universal-sets-release-dates-ouija-the-bourne-legacy-the-dark-tower/|title=Universal Sets Release Dates For Ouija, The Bourne Legacy, The Dark Tower And More|date=October 29, 2010|website=/Film|access-date=July 11, 2022}} That same month, Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis had written a new script, while Sylvain White, Scott Stewart, and Pierre Morel were in talks to direct.{{cite web|last=Toro|first=Gabe|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2010/10/pierre-morel-scott-stewart-sylvain-white-fighting-to-direct-dubious-board-game-movie-ouija-122084/|title=Pierre Morel, Scott Stewart, Sylvain White Fighting To Direct Dubious Board Game Movie Ouija|date=October 28, 2010|website=IndieWire|access-date=July 11, 2022}} The film was described as a "four-quadrant supernatural adventure" akin to The Mummy and Indiana Jones.{{cite web|last=Lyttleton|first=Oliver|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2010/12/creatures-from-the-depths-of-hell-mcg-breck-eisner-competing-for-directors-chair-on-ouija-121247/|title=Creatures From The Depths Of Hell: McG & Breck Eisner Competing For Director's Chair On Ouija|date=December 20, 2010|website=IndieWire|access-date=July 11, 2022}} By December, the studio had passed on all pitches from the aforementioned filmmakers, including John Moore, and were now considering McG and Breck Eisner to direct.{{cite web|last=Kit|first=Borys|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/mcg-breck-eisner-vying-direct-61485/|title=Exclusive: McG, Breck Eisner Vying to Direct Universal's Ouija|date=December 18, 2010|website=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=July 11, 2022}} The next month, McG was set to direct.{{cite web|last=Barr|first=Jason|url=https://collider.com/mcg-ouija/|title=McG Will Direct Ouija|date=January 4, 2011|website=Collider|access-date=July 11, 2022}} In April, Evan Spiliotopoulos was hired for rewrites when Horowitz and Kitsis where tied to other commitments.{{cite web|last=Kit|first=Borys|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/evan-spiliotopoulos-pen-universals-ouija-179899/|title=Evan Spiliotopoulos to Pen Universal's Ouija|date=April 19, 2011|website=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=July 11, 2022}} In June, Simon Kinberg, who previously wrote This Means War for McG, was brought in for further revisions.{{cite web|last=Barton|first=Steve|url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/24826/universal-s-ouija-spells-out-the-name-of-another-new-writer/|title=Universal's Ouija Spells Out the Name of Another New Writer|date=June 16, 2011|website=Dread Central|access-date=July 11, 2022}} In August, Universal abandoned Ouija due to its "tentpole level" budget, leading to the film's producers meeting with Paramount Pictures and 20th Century Fox.{{cite news|last=Lussier|first=Germain|title=Universal Says Goodbye To 'Ouija'|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/515806/universal-goodbye-ouija/|access-date=January 29, 2022|newspaper=/Film|date=August 23, 2011}}{{cite news|last=Kit|first=Borys|title=Universal Scraps 'Ouija' Movie as Studios Eye Budgets Closely|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/universal-scraps-ouija-movie-as-227218/|access-date=January 29, 2022|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|date=August 24, 2011}} Kinberg's draft would have cost $125 million to produce.{{cite web|last=Weinstein|first=Josh|url=https://www.thewrap.com/ouji-gets-new-life-marti-noxon-33192/|title=Ouija Gets a Different Spirit From Buffy Writer Marti Noxon|date=November 30, 2011|website=TheWrap|access-date=July 11, 2022}} In October, Hasbro Studios opted to restructure the film to accommodate a lower budget.{{cite news|title=Hasbro CEO Says 'Ouija' Board Moves to "Yes"|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/26767|access-date=6 February 2014|newspaper=Bloody Disgusting|date=17 October 2011}} Marti Noxon was hired to rewrite the script, in order to tone down the film's scale and instead craft a "more intimate, atmospheric -- and scary -- movie".{{cite web|last=Weinstein|first=Josh|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ouija/ouija-gets-different-spirit-from-buffy-writer-idUSTRE7AT2RN20111130|title=Ouija Gets Different Spirit From Buffy Writer|website=Reuters |date=November 30, 2011|access-date=July 11, 2022}} Following the project's reconfiguration, McG was no longer involved while Jason Blum of Blumhouse Productions and Universal boarded the film in March 2012.{{cite news|last=Kit|first=Borys|title=Hasbro's 'Ouija' Movie Returns to Universal, Set for 2013 Release|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/hasbros-ouija-movie-returns-universal-296839/|access-date=January 29, 2022|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|date=March 5, 2012}} A 2013 release window and a $5 million budget were instated.{{cite web|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|url=https://deadline.com/2012/03/universal-re-conjures-ouija-ands-sets-2013-release-239605/|title=Universal Re-Conjures Ouija And Sets 2013 Release|date=March 5, 2012|website=Deadline|access-date=July 11, 2022}} In July 2012, Juliet Snowden and Stiles White were hired to write a new screenplay with White directing.{{cite web|last=Kroll|first=Justin|url=https://variety.com/2012/film/news/u-recruits-pair-to-rewrite-helm-ouija-1118056618/|title=Universal Recruits Pair to Rewrite, Helm Ouija|date=July 16, 2012|website=Variety|access-date=July 11, 2022}}

Across December 2013, Olivia Cooke, Douglas Smith, Bianca Santos, Erin Moriarty, Ana Coto, Vivis Colombetti, Daren Kagasoff, and Matthew Settle joined the cast.{{cite news|last=Kit|first=Borys|title='Bates Motel' Actress to Star in Universal's 'Ouija'|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/bates-motel-actress-star-universals-663613/|access-date=January 29, 2022|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|date=December 6, 2013}}{{cite news|last=Ford|first=Rebecca|title=Universal's 'Ouija' Adds 'The Fosters,' 'Red Widow' Actresses|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/universals-ouija-adds-fosters-red-665187/|access-date=January 29, 2022|newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter|date=December 11, 2013}}{{cite news|title=Daren Kagasoff Joins 'Ouija'|url=https://deadline.com/2013/12/daren-kagasoff-joins-ouija-ian-harding-cast-in-dynamite-a-cautionary-tale-freddie-stroma-signs-for-the-inbetweeners-movie-2-647293/|access-date=February 5, 2014|newspaper=Deadline Hollywood|date=December 4, 2013}}{{cite news|title=Matthew Settle Joins 'Ouija' Cast|url=https://deadline.com/2013/12/matthew-settle-joins-ouija-cast-eric-bogosian-narrates-listen-up-philip-652315/|access-date=February 6, 2014|newspaper=Deadline Hollywood|date=December 13, 2013}}

Principal photography began mid December 2013 in Los Angeles wrapped in January 2014.

Reshoots took place in May 2014 after a poor test screening,{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/FlickGeeks/videos/547987261973885/|work=Facebook|title=New Ouija Trailer|access-date=July 27, 2015}} which, according to Olivia Cooke, resulted in half the film being re-shot. With the reshoots, Lin Shaye was added to the film to play a newly written character, Erin Moriarty's character was removed from the film entirely, and new plot points were added or changed entirely. The most notable of changes included the character of Doris Zander's physical appearance changing from that of a burnt looking girl to a rotting, decomposing girl with stitches in her mouth.{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/olivia-cooke-ouija-bates-motel-season-3-interview/|work=Collider|title=Olivia Cooke Ouija Bates Motel season 3 interview|date=October 23, 2014|access-date=December 1, 2014}} Mike Flanagan contributed ideas to the film prior to reshoots but denied directing the film in any capacity. Flanagan also affirmed the film had a "rough journey to completion" and "a long post-production phase".{{cite web|last=Grove|first=David|url=https://ihorror.com/exclusive-interview-mike-flanagan-talks-ouija-origin-evil-understand-skepticism/|title=Exclusive Interview: Mike Flanagan Talks Ouija: Origin of Evil: "I Understand the Skepticism"|date=September 9, 2016|website=iHorror|access-date=July 11, 2022}}

Universal released Ouija in the United States on October 24, 2014.{{cite news|title=Universal Dates Crimson Peak, Ouija, Pitch Perfect 2 and More!|url=https://comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=114202|access-date=February 5, 2014|newspaper=comingsoon.net|date=January 30, 2014}} A tie-in novelization for the film by Katharine Turner was released on September 16, 2014.{{cite book | title = 'Ouija' |author=Katharine Turner | via= Amazon.com | date = September 16, 2014 |publisher=Little, Brown Books for Young Readers | isbn = 978-0316296328 }}

Ouija was released in the US on DVD and Blu-ray on February 3, 2015.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dvdsreleasedates.com/movies/6964/ouija|title = Ouija DVD Release Date February 3, 2015}}

In North America, the film was released to 2,858 theaters and earned $19,875,995{{cite web|title=Weekend Box Office: October 24-26, 2014|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2014&wknd=43&p=.htm|website=Box Office Mojo|access-date=November 1, 2014}} on its opening weekend (including its $911,000 gross on Thursday preview nights and $8.3 million on its opening day).{{cite magazine | url = https://deadline.com/2014/10/ouija-box-office-results-john-wick-st-vincent-859492/ | title = 'Ouija' Box Office Starts With $911K, 'John Wick' $870K – B.O. Late Nights | author = Anita Busch |newspaper=Deadline Hollywood| date = October 24, 2014 | access-date = October 27, 2014}}{{cite magazine | url = https://deadline.com/2014/10/box-office-ouija-john-wick-st-vincent-859761/ | title = 'Ouija' Says Yes To No. 1, 'John Wick' No. 2 With A Bullet, 'St. Vincent,' Superb Exit Polls – B.O. Weekend | author = Anita Busch |newspaper=Deadline Hollywood | date = October 26, 2014 | access-date = October 27, 2014}}{{cite magazine | url = http://m.hollywoodreporter.com/entry/view/id/799124 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20141027032454/http://m.hollywoodreporter.com/entry/view/id/799124 | url-status = dead | archive-date = October 27, 2014 | title = Box Office: 'Ouija' Spooks Keanu Reeves' 'John Wick' With $20M Debut | author = Pamela McClintock | magazine = The Hollywood Reporter | date = October 26, 2014 | access-date = October 27, 2014 }} at an average of $7,000 per theater, debuting at number one at the box office ahead of newly released John Wick ($14.2 million).{{cite magazine | url = https://variety.com/2014/film/news/box-office-ouija-beats-keanu-reeves-john-wick-1201339108/ | title = 'Ouija' Scares Up Box Office Win Ahead of Keanu Reeves' 'John Wick' | author = Maane Khatchatourian | magazine = Variety | date = October 26, 2014 | access-date = October 27, 2014}} The film played 75% under-25 years old and 61% female on its opening weekend.{{cite magazine | url = https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2014/10/26/box-office-ouija-summons-20m-weekend-keanu-reeves-john-wick-opens-to-14m/ | title = Box Office: 'Ouija' Summons $20M Weekend, Keanu Reeves' 'John Wick' Nabs $14M | author = Scott Mendelson | magazine = Forbes | date = October 26, 2014 | access-date = October 27, 2014}}

Ouija was released in five international markets and earned $1.3 million from 234 screens. The film went to number two in Malaysia ($545,000), number four in Taiwan ($331,000), number two in Singapore ($238,000) and also number four in Poland ($137,000).{{cite magazine | url = https://deadline.com/2014/10/international-box-office-fury-annabelle-hercules-happy-new-year-china-guardians-861602/ | title = Int'l Box Office: 'Annabelle' Still A Doll With $26.5M Frame; 'Fury' Wages $11.2M; 'Lucy' Outmuscles 'Hercules' In China; 'Guardians' Warps To #3 On 2014 Global Hit List; More | author = Nancy Tartaglione |magazine=Deadline Hollywood| date = October 26, 2014 | access-date = October 27, 2014}} In its second weekend the film earned $5.7 million from 1,166 screens in 19 territories for a two weekend international total of $7.7 million. It went to number one in the UK, Indonesia and the Philippines. In the UK, the film earned $2.2 million on its opening weekend, which is the second biggest opening weekend for a horror film in 2014 only behind Annabelle ($3.1 million). Ouija made a domestic total of $50,856,010 and $52,618,000 overseas, for a worldwide total of $103,674,010.{{cite magazine | url = https://deadline.com/2014/11/international-box-office-guardians-of-the-galaxy-number-2-movie-2014-turtles-china-maze-runner-kung-fu-jungle-happy-new-year-1201271064/ | title = 'Turtles', 'Maze Runner' Top Int'l Box Office; 'Guardians' Is 2014's #2 Pic: Update | author = Nancy Tartaglione |magazine=Deadline Hollywood | date = November 2, 2014 | access-date = November 3, 2014}}

According to the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 6% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 90 reviews, and it has an average rating of 3.2/10. The website's critics consensus states: "Slowly, steadily, although no one seems to be moving it in that direction, the Ouija planchette points to NO."{{cite web |title=Ouija (2014) |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ouija_2014 |access-date=July 18, 2024 |work=Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Fandango Media}} Metacritic, another review aggregator which assigns and normalizes scores of critic reviews, gave the film a weighted average score of 38 out of 100 based on reviews from 22 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/ouija |title=Ouija Reviews |work=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=October 30, 2014}} Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a "C" grade.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/box-office-ouija-spooks-keanu-744001/|title=Box Office: 'Ouija' Spooks Keanu Reeves' 'John Wick' With $20M Debut|first=Pamela |last=McClintock|work=The Hollywood Reporter|publisher=Prometheus Global Media|access-date=January 29, 2022|date=October 26, 2014}}

The film was novelized by Katharine Turner. The novel was released on September 16, 2014.

{{main|Ouija: Origin of Evil}}

Throughout January 2015, reports of a sequel were announced. In February 2015, it was confirmed the film was in development and had no release date. Jason Blum stated "We're a ways away ..."{{cite web|url=http://www.christianpost.com/news/ouija-2-news-update-producer-jason-blum-talks-sequel-development-133605/|title='Ouija 2' Plot Spoilers, Rumors: Producer Jason Blum Talks Sequel Development|last=Donguines|first=Arvin|work=The Christian Post|date=February 7, 2015|access-date=July 14, 2015}} In April 2015, it was announced that the sequel would be released on October 21, 2016. Mike Flanagan would direct and co-write the sequel with his Oculus co-writer Jeff Howard. The film would be produced by Michael Bay, Brad Fuller, Andrew Form, Jason Blum, Brian Goldner, and Stephen Davis. Annalise Basso and Kaylee Procter would star in the sequel.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2015/04/ouija-sequel-october-2016-universal-jason-blum-1201418623/|title='Ouija 2′ Set For October 2016; Jason Blum Back as Producer |first=Denise|last=Petski|work=Deadline|date=April 30, 2015|access-date=May 3, 2015}}{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/2015/film/news/ouija-2-mike-flanagan-annalise-basso-1201570455|title='Ouija 2' Lands Director Mike Flanagan, Actress Annalise Basso|magazine=Variety|last=Kroll|first=Justin|date=August 14, 2015}} It was then announced that Ouija: Origin of Evil would serve as a prequel to the first film. It was released in the United States on October 21, 2016, and unlike its predecessor, it gained far more positive reviews.{{Cite web |last=Mattson |first=Kelcie |date=2023-11-01 |title=Only Mike Flanagan Could Make a Quality Prequel to a Bad Horror Movie |url=https://collider.com/mike-flanagan-ouija-origin-of-evil/ |access-date=2023-11-02 |website=Collider |language=en}}

• List of ghost films
• Jumanji
• Zathura: A Space Adventure

{{Reflist}}

• {{IMDb title|1204977|Ouija}}
• {{Mojo title|ouija|Ouija}}
• {{Rotten Tomatoes|ouija_2014|Ouija}}

{{Platinum Dunes}}

{{Allspark and Entertainment One}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ouija}}

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