If there’s one thing Hollywood needs more of, it’s PG-13 horror sequels. Luckily, Mike Flanagan, writer/director of 2013’s Oculus, has signed on to direct the sequel to last year’s Halloween potboiler, Ouija. Flanagan will be co-writing the script for Ouija 2 with Oculus screenwriter Jeff Howard as well as directing.
Apparently, Flanagan and Blumhouse are looking to re-capture that middling, goreless Oculus magic as Annalise Basso, who co-starred as young Kaylie in that film, has signed on to play one of the leads. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ouija 2 will tell the story of “a young girl grieving the death of her father.” Presumably, everything will not be as it seems and Hasbro’s Ouija board will be instrumental in bringing about the jump scares and third-act possession nonsense.
Ouija, which was made through Blumhouse for a extremely low budget of $5 million, has scared up $102.5 million worldwide, despite making the mystical oracle board that has been creeping people out since long before Reagan chatted with Captain Howdy about as exciting as a game of Stratego. (Being the only horror movie in wide release the weekend before Halloween probably helped.)
Ouija 2 is slated for release on October 21, 2016.