Mattel’s ‘Magic 8 Ball’ is getting a live-action supernatural TV series from M. Night Shyamalan—here’s all you need to know
Mattel’s famous Magic 8 Ball toy will soon be a part of a live-action supernatural series. Yeah, you read that right. Filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan recently revealed that he has been working on the 'Magic 8 Ball' series for quite some time now. The script for the live-action series is being written by Brad Falchuk, known for his work on 'Glee' and 'American Horror Story'. Taking to Instagram on October 14, 'The Sixth Sense' director and Mattel posted a picture of the 'Magic 8 Ball' script. "Been working on this for a couple years… Who’s in? #ItIsCertain #Magic8Ball 🎱," Shyamalan captioned his post.
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As per the pilot's cover shared by Shyamalan, the upcoming series, inspired by the iconic Magic 8 Ball, seems to be tentatively titled 'Magic 8 Ball.' For the unversed, the Magic 8 Ball is a very popular toy among the masses, and it sells more than one million units each year. As per Mattel, the Shyamalan-Falcuk pair “aim to reimagine the classic Magic 8 Ball as the centerpiece of a high-concept, character-driven supernatural drama that blends psychological intensity with cultural intrigue.”
As soon as the announcement was made on Instagram, fans bombarded the comments section, unable to hold their excitement. One social media user wrote, "It could make a great crossover with the Kool Aid movie!" A second user penned, "This show is either about ❄️ or witchcraft and I’m here for both. 😎." Another netizen went on to say, "If this thing will have a TV series, then I need a Live Action of Thomas the Tank Engine!!!!" A fourth fan commented, "A group of friends who got trapped in a toy store full of Barbies have to dismantle the bomb that's in a Magic 8 Ball or the whole world dies."
In recent years, Mattel has done a lot of such toy-to-screen adaptations. Greta Gerwig's 2023 film 'Barbie', which was based on the fashion dolls by Mattel, was a huge success at the box office. The fantasy film starring Margot Robbie as the main character and Ryan Gosling as Ken grossed $1.4 billion worldwide. In addition to this, Mattel's IP portfolio includes Hot Wheels, Thomas & Friends, UNO, Masters of the Universe, Matchbox, Monster High, Polly Pocket, and Barney. Most of these brands have already been greenlit for a film or a television series.
