It’s no huge secret that video game movies have a terrible track record. More games have gotten stuck in production hell than have actually made it to the big screen, and the ones that do make it are generally pretty awful.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of the first couple Resident Evil movies and I’ve seen Silent Hill more times than I’d like to admit, but are they good movies? Not particularly.
Because film adaptions of video games tend to not do well at the box office, they generally don’t receive very large budgets…which ultimately doesn’t help at the box office. It’s a cycle of doom that likely won’t be broken until someone steps in and makes a video game film worth giving a damn about.
Lucky for us, there are quite a few upcoming movies based on video games that could be just what we’re looking for.
Check out the slide show to see which films could save the genre.
Need for Speed
Release Date: March 14, 2014
Inspired by the racing games of the same name, Need For Speed has a new, original story not featured in the existing series. Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul plays Tobey Marshall, a street racer who, after being released from prison for a crime he didn’t commit, is out for revenge. The trailer actually looks pretty cool and if you’re familiar with Aaron Paul, then you already know that he’s a phenomenal actor. The movie is written by the Gatins brothers (Real Steel, Coach Carter) and directed by Scott Waugh (Act of Valor).
Assassin’s Creed
Release Date: Summer 2015
In the past few years, Ubisoft Motion Pictures has announced plans to adapt several of their best selling games, including Splinter Cell and Far Cry, for the silver screen. After seeing a number of other big-name games get stuck in movie-development purgatory, it’s a relief to hear that Assassin’s Creed is set to begin filming this August. Aside from that, news on the project has been relatively quiet. We know that Michael Fassbender will be both producing and starring in the film, and back in August it was revealed that Academy Award nominee Scott Frank was working on a rewrite. No director has been chosen yet but this is a huge title with a ton of potential to save the reputation of video game movies so hopefully it's someone impressive.
Ratchet and Clank
Release Date: 2015
With video game movies, there’s always a chance that the studio translating your favorite game to the big screen could seriously mess it up. Luckily, we don’t have to worry about that with Ratchet & Clank. TJ Fixam, the guy writing the script, is a Ratchet & Clank vet with writing credits in all the franchise’s more recent games. The cast features voices from the original franchise as well, including James A. Taylor as Ratchet, David Kaye as Clank, and Jim Ward as Qwark. If this film adaption has all the same quirky charm as its source material, it should have no trouble doing well the box office.
Sly Cooper
Release Date: 2016
That last one not bringing back enough nostalgia for you? Well Rainmaker Entertainment and Blockade Entertainment - the same pair behind the Ratchet and Clank movie – are also producing a Sly Cooper movie. Described as a “comedic heist film,” Sly Cooper will feature familiar characters like Bentley Turtle, Murray Hippo, and Sly’s nemesis, Clockwerk. No word yet on who will be voicing the characters, but producer David Wohl says the film will have a mix of actors from the original games and outside talent.
Warcraft
Release Date: 2016
It’s hard to believe that a World of Warcraft movie was first announced back in 2006. Fast-forward about seven years and we’re finally starting to see some progress. The film now has a director, Duncan Jones (Moon) and sports an eclectic cast including Ben Foster (X-Men: The Last Stand), Rob Kazinsky (Pacific Rim), and Paula Patton (Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol). The film will tell the story of the initial encounters between humans and orcs and include a number of locations featured in the game. Filming began this month, so keep your eyes peeled for production updates.
Angry Birds
Release Date: 2016
Since it’s initial release in 2009, Angry Birds has become so much more than just a mobile game. With a popular line of merchandise, a cartoon series and even a theme park, it’s no big surprise that Rovio Entertainment has a CG-animated Angry Birds movie in the works. Co-directed by veteran animators Clay Kaytis (Wreck-It-Ralph, Frozen) and Fergal Reilly (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs), this project sounds like it has a lot of potential.
Published: Jan 28, 2014 04:11 pm