Must Be Thursday

Wow. I've got some crazy news and some cool news that I just have to share with the world.

First, the crazy news. The movie geek community is scratching their heads over this one. Hasbro Toys really wants to get into making movies, what with the success of the live-action Transformers and the live-action G.I. Joe now filming. Today, it was announced that Hasbro just signed a deal with Universal Studios. Universal gets to make a maximum of four films based on...Hasbro's board games.

Hasbro makes some of the biggest board games on the market, like Twister, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Battleship, Candyland, Guess Who?, Operation, Risk, Clue...pretty much every board game going.

And the thing is, directors are actually interested! Shortly after this, it was announced that Michael Bay is actually very interested in making a movie based on...the Ouiji Board. Yes, Hasbro holds the copywright on the Ouiji Board. It's interesting to note that the Ouiji Board inspired a series of slasher films in the late-1980s/early-1990s called Witchboard in which the board unleashed murderous demons. And since Michael Bay owns a company called Platinum Dunes, which is dedicated to re-making old slasher films (Platinum Dunes made that Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake), I think we know where we're going with this one.

Even more shocking, Ridley Scott, director of good movies like Gladiator, Black Hawk Down and the recent American Gangster, is really keen on making the movie version of Monopoly. Scott figures he can make Monopoly into "a comedic thriller about big business."

Yes, Ridley Scott's Monopoly. I can see the trailers now. "The Battle for Boardwalk Begins. Summer 2009. Starring Russel Crowe as the race car."

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And now the cool news, because I love all things Olympics.

Today, it was announced that Singapore will be hosting the world's first Youth Olympics.

The Youth Olympics are a new international sporting event being set by the International Olympic Committee. It's going to be on a smaller-scale than the Olympics, and only be open to atheletes between the ages of 14 and 18. The purpose of the games is to promote sport among the youth...get them off the couch and outside playing.

The first Summer Youth Olympics are already scheduled for 2010. This is the first international sporting competition for Singapore.