Video games on the big screen. I know what you are probably thinking, “doesn’t he mean video games that are based on movies? You know, those knock-off, cookie cutter games that come out at the same time as their counterparts.” Okay, well maybe there might be some decent renditions (i.e. Spiderman 2 and Matrix Reloaded), but by and large these exceptions are more rare than a sane crack addict. In any case, no, these are not the type of games that I am talking about. I am referring to video games that get adapted into movies (i.e. Doom and Hitman).
In the past, studio demand for scripting games into big budget feature films has not been very high. For you and me, this might not be such a bad thing due to the fact that a majority of these films have not been very successful. The exceptions to this trend being competent films like Tomb Raider and Max Payne, but still, none have been spectacular. However, this is likely to soon change, and only for the better.
Over the past year there have been a good amount of press releases and news updates that the movie industry is finally taking video game based movies seriously. Major game developers like EA, Blizzard, Sony, and Capcom are signing production deals on the intellectual properties or working with revered directors like Sam Raimi (Spiderman) and Jerry Bruckheimer (National Treasure, Pirates of the Caribbean). Yes, get excited and watch the preview of Bruckheimer’s Prince of Persia: the Sands of Time.
The question still remains, why has it taken so long for the game and film industries to finally get along? Jay Cohen the president of development at Jerry Bruckheimer Games says, “The wall needs to be knocked down somehow.…Each of these businesses runs and operates differently [and] that’s ultimately the reason things haven’t worked out. Because getting everyone to the table- the guy(s) making the game, the guy(s) making the film-and agree creatively and commercially on what needs to happen is where the problem is.”
Think about it, a video game is developed by a single studio of full-time employees who have worked with one another for some time. In contrast, the film industry usually involves creative individuals from independent teams of directors, actors, cinematographers, and writers. Yet, both industries are starting to see eye-to-eye, as game creators are frequently insisting on being involved in the decision making process throughout the entire production. This is exactly what Prince of Persia creator Jordan Mechner has done. And if all of this means getting movies that don’t totally butcher the game, that’s fine by me.
Prince of Persia: Sands of Time is not the only game based movie on the horizon. Here is a list of other movies in production that you can look into on imbd:
BioShock: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (director, 28 Weeks Later)
Gore Verbinski (as producer, Directed Pirates of the Caribbean series)
Gears of War: Len Wiseman (Director, Live Free or Die Hard, Underworld)
Chris Morgan (writer, Wanted, Fast & Furious)
Mass Effect: Avi Arad (producer), EA
Halo: Officially on hold, but Steven Spielberg has the script now.
Lost Planet: Avi Arad (producer), Capcom
The Sims: John Davis (producer, Norbit, Eragon), EA
World of Warcraft: Sam Raimi (director, Spider-Man)
