From Game To Screen
Dec 3, 2008
Historically speaking, video game films belong on Hollywood's F-list. Time and again we're fooled into thinking that our beloved game franchises will sparkle on the silver screen, only to watch second-rate studios and terrible scripts deliver straight-to-DVD performances. Yes, Uwe Boll, we're looking at you.
But perhaps the tide is turning. The recent box office success of Max Payne proves that Hollywood is still paying attention -- it's time we did, too. Here's a rundown of some of the biggest game-to-film adaptations currently in the works.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Hollywood has long had a love affair with sweeping desert epics, so it comes as little surprise that Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Films would flip over the cinematic possibilities of Ubisoft's action series. The upcoming film is based on the older Sands of Time trilogy and brings with it some serious chops, featuring the likes of Jake Gyllenhaal, Alfred Molina and Ben Kingsley. Directed by Mike Newell (Four Wedding and a Funeral, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), it's scheduled for release in May of 2010.
Pitch it: Lawrence of Arabia meets The Mummy.
Ditch it: Ishtar was also filmed in the desert.
Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li
Not to be confused with the Sonny Chiba martial arts classic or the critically-panned 1994 action mess starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, the all-new Street Fighter movie centers around femme fatale Chun Li. The story is still under wraps, though we suspect it has something to do with a secret tournament, a gaggle of worldly brawlers and a nefarious scheme or two. Starring Kristin Kreuk (Smallville) in the title role and directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak (Doom, Cradle 2 the Grave), it's scheduled for release in late February of 2009.
Pitch it: Bloodsport meets Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, with fireballs!
Ditch it: Did you see the first Street Fighter movie? Ugh.
World of Warcraft
Eleven million worldwide subscribers make Blizzard's behemoth a can't-miss property. That bodes well for Legendary Pictures, who secured the rights to a Warcraft film back in 2006. Set one year prior to the events depicted in the popular MMO, the film will focus on an Alliance hero (sorry, followers of Thrall - it's not easy being green in Hollywood.) While they've yet to announce a director, cast or, well, much of anything, they've proposed a roomy $100 million budget and are approaching it as an epic war film. But until we get a release date, the hordes will just have to wait.
Pitch it: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers meets The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, but with fewer hobbits and more orcs.
Ditch it: The Warcraft mythology is actually pretty rich. Too bad it will probably be boiled down into a couple hours worth of green screen fight scenes and cheesy inspirational speeches.
Halo
Shortly after Halo 3 obliterated sales records, film execs began blaming it for sluggish numbers at the box office -- and apparently, they want revenge. Once thought to be in the hands of fantasy guru Peter Jackson, the Halo film is currently up in the air. After Jackson bailed out, the film adaptation of Microsoft's money machine entered cinematic limbo. However, recent news about Microsoft accepting a script from Stuart Beattie (Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy) has breathed new life into this surefire blockbuster.
Pitch it: Independence Day meets Rambo.
Ditch it: Halo's story isn't its strong suit, and without Jackson at the helm, it could turn into an overwrought Starship Troopers in the blink of an all-seeing eye.
BioShock
One of the best games for the Xbox 360 recently made its way to the PS3 with similarly stellar results, so to say there's a legion of fans thrilled about a BioShock film is putting it lightly. Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean) is on tap to direct and produce the feature, though no release date has been issued yet and plot details are nonexistent. Here's hoping it's half as good as the game.
Pitch it: The Abyss meets Citizen Kane
Ditch it: Nailing the tension of a survival-horror game isn't so easy. Just ask Silent Hill.
Page 2: Sims, Gears, and a very angry god >>
(Page 2 of 2)
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.
Gears of War
Two smash action games means one thing -- movie time! New Line Cinema locked up the film rights to this Xbox 360 series in early 2007, which is currently slated for a 2010 release. Directed by Len Wiseman (Underworld) and penned by Chris Morgan (Wanted), the Gears movie is expected to be a gritty action romp, though gamers longing for authenticity shouldn't fear: Gears designer Cliff Bleszinski will serve as an executive producer. No word yet as to who will play lead grunt Marcus Fenix, though.
Pitch it: War of the Worlds meets Predator.
Ditch it: We love the roadie-run as much as the next guy, but turning Gears' hackneyed plot into a feature film takes more brains than brawn.
The Sims
No story, no main characters, and no marketing angle? "No problem!" proclaimed 20th Century Fox, who in 2007 blew gamer minds by announcing that they picked up the rights to a film version of Will Wright's enormously popular social experiment. The resulting film project is being produced by John Davis (Norbit), who recently explained that the movie will star teenagers in a story about wish-fulfillment gone awry.
Pitch it: Weird Science meets Neighbors meets The Stepford Wives.
Ditch it: Ninety minutes of watching an animated dollhouse full of mannequins with severe bladder issues doesn't sound very fun.
Tekken
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 the tale of devil-plagued fighter Jin Kazama (played by John Foo), who enters - you guessed it - the secretive Tekken fighting tournament to track down his accursed family. After a director carousel, it's been settled that Dwight H. Little (Halloween 4) will helm.
Pitch it: Enter the Dragon meets Constantine.
Ditch it: Did you read the plot synopsis?
God of War
Gamers have been clamoring for a film based on Sony's vengeful demigod since it first hit shelves in 2005. That classical dream could become a modern day reality, although we're not entirely sure when. A script by noted screenwriter David Self (Road to Perdition) has been completed, and ex-X-Men director Brett Ratner is lined up to direct.
Pitch it: Clash of the Titans meets 300.
Ditch it: Seriously effects-heavy. If it doesn't score a titanic budget, that could pose a problem.
Return to Castle Wolfenstein
Demonic Nazis, your time is drawing nearer. With acclaimed writer/director Roger Avary (Beowulf) on board, 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. He's reportedly working on the script right now, so 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: See above.