Update on UNCHARTED, METAL GEAR SOLID, and MASS EFFECT Movies!
Video game movies are about to blow up on the big screen. With Ubisoft, EA Games, Sony Entertainment, and Microsoft all setting up film projects, we are about to enter a new age of video game films. Hopefully this time around we will get some solidly great adaptations!
Kotaku recently talked to producer Avi Arad about some of the video game movies he's involved with, including Uncharted, Metal Gear Solid, and Mass Effect. He starts off by talking about video game movies in general.
"Converting games to film hasn't been done yet successfully, though Resident Evil did very well—it was actually a great series. I remember when Bernd Eichinger started it. I was working with him, I just couldn't do that at Marvel but I had a good feeling about it, it's a fantastic franchise."
He goes to explain that one of the big problems with video game films is the apprehension of the studios.
"I think that film studios are bankers and filmmakers are risk takers and somewhere in between we meet on the battlefield. And the moment one video game movie goes through the roof, it's the same thing that I've been through with comic books."
He then goes on to give an update on the Uncharted movie saying,
"I think Uncharted will be very successful. It's a father and son game. There are things about it that are interesting. I think the world of antiquities theft, there are many countries in the world that realized they're being robbed, and they're trying to recoup these important pieces. Now, the script has a lot of character [and] I think that has a shot at being the first one [to succeed]."
He briefly talked about Metal Gear Solid , saying, "If you go to Metal Gear Solid, it's actually full of storytelling." Arad added, "You have Cain and Abel." The guy who interviewed Arad said that the producer expects the movie to be about three or more years away.
As for Mass Effect... It will most likely take even longer. "It's a big idea, that we, humans, are the least developed, the least trusted, it's an interesting mirror image of our world, we are the aliens now. Love the project, it's getting there, it's been a lot of work; some movies take five, six years before they're ready."
I'm pretty confident that these upcoming video game films are going to make the jump into awesomeness, just like the comic book movies did. I'm excited to start seeing how they turn out!