FEATURE
Gaming on the Big Screen
Movie studios are scooping up video game licenses left and right. Check out this crop of games coming soon to a theater near you.
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With revenue that rivals the box office, video games are ripe for Hollywood makeovers. We continue our look at some of the biggest upcoming game-to-film conversions.
Tekken (Namco)
Once thought to be forever locked in development limbo (it's been postponed three times), the movie version of Namco's fighting phenom could be poised for a legit comeback in 2009. It follows two childhood friends, Jin and Zheng, who enter - you guessed it - the underground Tekken fighting tournament aimed at testing their inner and outer strength. Along the way, the buddies uncover the truth about Tekken Corp.'s devious shenanigans. Screen Gems recently announced that Charles Stone III (Drumline) will direct, though none of the actors have been cast yet.
Pitch it: Enter the Dragon meets Lethal Weapon.
Ditch it: Charles Stone III is most famous for directing and starring in the "Whassup!" commercials for Budweiser.
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Onimusha (Capcom)
Never afraid of shifting their popular franchises over to film, Capcom has teamed with Davis Films to bring its samurai /demon showdown to the big screen. The plot outline involves the dreaded undead warlord Nobunaga, who captures two women in an effort to do some terrible mischief, and two warriors who battle his minions. At the helm is Christophe Gans (Silent Hill), while actor Takeshi Kaneshiro will play lead character Samanosuke. That's hardly a stretch - Kaneshiro provided the character's voice-over in Onimusha Warlords and Onimusha 3, and the in-game avatar was actually modeled after the real-world actor.
Pitch it: Big Trouble in Little China meets Yojimbo.
Ditch it: The film will purportedly include a love story. With samurai warriors. And creepy demons. Uh oh.
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Return to Castle Wolfenstein (id)
Demonic Nazis, your time is drawing nearer. With acclaimed writer/director Roger Avary (Beowulf) handling the script, this WWII frightfest based on the old PC first-person shooter actually carries some serious street cred. Same goes to Avary, an ex-programmer and avid gamer. Though production is on hold due to the writers' strike, expect the harrowing tale of BJ Blazkowicz to eventually reach the big screen.
Pitch it: Saving Private Ryan meets A Triumph of the Will meets Evil Dead II.
Ditch it: Just read the Pitch again.
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Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (Ubisoft)
Hollywood has long had a love affair with sweeping Arabian epics, so it comes as little surprise that Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Films would flip over the cinematic possibilities of Ubisoft's action series. Set for a 2009 release, the film was penned by Prince of Persia game guru Jordan Mechner, who has stated that the adaptation is far from a blow by blow carbon copy of the game, instead telling a brand new tale of romance and, we're sure, acrobatics. Though the cast is still not finalized, it looks like Mike Newell (Four Wedding and a Funeral, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) will direct.
Pitch it: Lawrence of Arabia meets The Mummy.
Ditch it: Ishtar was also filmed in the desert.
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Max Payne (Gathering of Developers)
Surprisingly, this noir action hit from 2001 is still slated to be turned into celluloid. 20th Century Fox actually snagged the rights back in 2003, but must have inadvertently activated 'bullet-time' and slowed all production to a crawl. Recently, however, Mark Wahlberg signed on to play the titular tough guy, who fights both real-world adversaries and tragic visions of his tortured past. John Moore (Behind Enemy Lines) will direct, with filming planned to begin early in 2008.
Pitch it: Sin City meets Double Indemnity in a very dark alley, smoking a filterless cigarette.
Ditch it: Max Payne is sooo late 90's. And Marky Mark has too much of a baby-face to play a hardened, killer cop.
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Posted: 28 Nov 2007