VIDEO GAME MOVIE ROUNDUP
Let's take a look at a selection of forthcoming feature films
based on popular video games titles. The genre has come on a bit since the dark
days of the Van Damme Street Fighter and turkeys like Double Dragon and Super
Mario Bros, and the next batch of films looks set to be a departure from the
recent spate of films such as the Resident Evil series and Tomb Raider films. Here’s
some of the big ones that are on the way…
Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li
Currently being shot, this stars Smallville’s Kristen Kreuk in the lead role, and is set to (spinning bird) kick off a whole new series of films based on the massively popular Street Fighter games franchise.
Biosphere
The Biosphere movie is moving forward now that it has both a writer and director attached, and looks like it is going to be something very special. This one looks like it will be the one that breaks the mould of games movies.
Halo
The long awaited Halo movie is in a state of flux at the moment. Peter Jackson was set to direct at one point, and WETA were going to do the effects. Right now though, it appears that there’s nothing going on with it whatsoever. Anyone heard anything more?
World of Warcraft
The world’s biggest online game is set to arrive on the big screen in the next couple of years. There’s little news on who or what will be in it so far, or even if it will be live action or CG, but we are assured there will be a WoW film one day. Maybe.
Mortal Kombat
The 3rd Mortal Kombat movie is set to be a reboot for the series, but is still said to be featuring Christopher Lambert as Lord Rayden, reprising his infamous role from 1995’s surprisingly watchable action fest. Its working title is Mortal Kombat: Devastation
Resident Evil: Degeneration
This is a curious one. A fully CG’d film based closely on the games and their characters, it was made in 2005 and only just edging towards a release. The trailer was premiered on the DVD of Resident Evil: Extinction, and looks fantastic. The game fans are going to lap this one up.
Hmm. From the research I’ve done I can trace this one back as far as 2000, when it was first announced. Currently, the rights to the American McGhees Alice movie are held by Universal and Collision Entertainment, who have been prepping the film since some time in 2007. I think we’ll still have to wait a while for progress on this, basically down to the subject matter and the associated rights. When it does hiot though, its going to be a huge event.
Assassin’s Creed
The first film based around the Assassin’s Creed game is still apparently due this year, but I’d say this is going to be pushed back to 2010, for the simple reason that shooting appears to have, erm, not started yet.
Devil May Cry
A movie based around the huigely popeular Devil May Cry games has recently been announced, but without any details of a director, writer or star. I think this one would work great in live action, but it would be difficult to cast someone who could pull Dante off well.
Gears of War
This has been given a provisional release date of late 2009, and like the Bioshock movie, I’d say this is going to be one of those genre-defying movies that brings a great deal of praise and will make people take a second look at the genre. Very promising.
Tekken
Woo-hoo! Now, this isn’t going to be anything but an hour and a half of action is it? I hope this movie is as dumb and pointless as the game, and just as much fun. This too is due in 2009, and is to be directed by Dwight H. Little, from a script by Alan B. McElroy. I bet the script largely consists of ‘They fight. They fight some more.’
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