M. Night Shyamalan Directing MAGIC 8 BALL Series For Mattel
AMERICAN HORROR STORY's Brad Falchuk will write and serve as co-showrunner.
Move over Barbie, because toy giant Mattel has announced an upcoming series based on one of their other most iconic products, the Magic 8 Ball, directed by none other than The Sixth Sense, Signs and Trap director M. Night Shyamalan.
Shyamalan co-created the series alongside writer Brad Falchuk (American Horror Story, Scream Queens), teasing on Instagram that the project has been in development for a couple of years already, with the pair serving as co-showrunners.
While it's unclear just how Shyamalan and Falchuk intend to spin the idea of the toy (which, if you're not familiar, was invented in 1946 and claims to tell fortunes by ‘answering' the user's questions after being shaken around) into a full series, an official statement from Mattel Studios says the show will “reimagine the classic Magic 8 Ball as the centerpiece of a high-concept, character-driven supernatural drama that blends psychological intensity with cultural intrigue”:
“With 1 million units sold annually, the Magic 8 Ball has been in existence for 75 years and remains a pop culture staple, captivating generations with its mysterious ability to answer life’s questions with a simple shake. More than a toy, it has become a symbol of curiosity, fate, and fun, and referenced in countless films, television shows, music, and literature. Its combination of playful charm and enigmatic mystique makes it a uniquely fertile ground for reinvention in premium storytelling
Whether this Magic 8 Ball movie is related in any way to the previously-announced Magic 8 Ball movie apparently in development from Cocaine Bear writer Jimmy Warden remains to be seen, but given that we haven't heard a peep about that since 2023, signs point to no.
Whatever the case, stay tuned for updates on this intriguing project!