Oh, what’s that, Hollywood? You say the reason your ticket sales are down is because of those darn video games and not because most of your films are terrible? Well then how do you explain Iron Man earning over $100 million this past weekend? That’s $85 million more than this weekend’s other new film, My Best Friend’s Wedding With the Gender Roles ReversedMade of Honor, and $25 million more than most analysts were giving the film credit for. And one of this year’s biggest video game releases, GTA IV, hasn’t even been out a week, so there’s probably plenty of people still playing it.
Could it be all those gamers took my advice (yeah, right) or suffered some catastrophe like a broken controller or a Red Ring of Death that forced them out into sunlight? Or could it be people will actually traipse on down to the theater when there’s actually something good to watch? I don’t know, I’m not an analyst or anything; but I think it’s safe to say that video games aren’t stopping people from seeing movies that are actually worth seeing. Time to find a new excuse for your box office bombs, Hollywood. Or — crazy idea here — take all that creative energy in forming ridiculous excuses and put it into your movies. Just a thought.
I know there’s plenty of game news out there today, but I just want to take a second to talk about something that I’m sure affects most of us. I think it’s safe to say that our sources of entertainment extend beyond video games, to films, for example. And I think it’s also safe to say that the majority of films out there aren’t worth the money it costs to go to a theater these days. Other than not throwing away our hard-earned cash on terrible flicks, there’s not much we can do about that. But this weekend, we as gamers might be able to at least eliminate one of Hollywood’s newest excuses for poor films: blaming low ticket sales on a huge video game release. And that is why, people, I implore you:
Go see Iron Man this weekend.
The thing is, Hollywood has found a new scapegoat in video games. It’s true the video game industry has grown to almost rival the movie industry, but it seems studios and analysts have found this to be a good way to excuse bad films. Last year, in the wake of Halo 3’s release, box office sales seemed to take a dip, which some film executives attributed to the game’s success. What they didn’t seem to consider was that the theaters were at the time flooded with dreck like The Heartbreak Kid and The Game Plan. As such, those same people have already been predicting poorer-than-expected ticket sales for the Iron Man film solely due to GTA IV’s nearby release date. I’m sure most of us can see the major flaw in this logic, and that is exactly why we must prove Hollywood wrong. Read the full article
There have been several well-made fake trailers for video game movies in the past (Minesweeper, anyone?), but this trailer for Tetris: The Movie from Black20 kind of scares me. It’s almost too well-done; so much so that this is exactly how I could see an actual Tetris movie from Hollywood turning out. The video already looks like a less-colorful Speed Racer, just with flying blocks instead of cars. Of course, you have to wonder, when these “players” complete a line, does their ship explode?
Microsoft is dead serious about trying to turn the Xbox 360 into a digital distribution wonder machine. So serious in fact that they’ve signed a deal with a production company to produce original shows exclusively for their system. The Safran Company is owned by Peter Safran (producer of “Meet the Spartans”) and represents clients such as actor and writer Nia Vardalos (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”), filmmakers Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer (“Epic Movie”), and Sean “P. Diddy Puff Daddy” Combs. Yes, that’s truly a dream team of filmmakers they’ve got behind them. On the plus side, Safran has said that the first round of productions will all be scripted (i.e. no reality shows) and will most likely be very genre-focused. The shows should run under ten minutes may be offered elsewhere after a timed run on the Xbox 360. Microsoft has said this is expected to be the first of many similar deals. The first round of videos should start hitting the Xbox Live Marketplace this fall.
If the videos are offered for free, they might have a shot. If they charge anything for them though, the service is probably dead in the water. With the incredible number of videos on the internet, why would anyone want to pay money for a 10-minute short? I think I guess what’s going to happen either way though: most people will download one video to check it out, watch it, not like it, and never touch the service again.
Seeing as it was one of the more critically and commercially successful games of 2007, it seems a sure bet that Hollywood would come knocking for the movie rights to BioShock. So why haven’t we heard anything definite about a movie based on this gem? Well, it’s not for Hollywood’s lack of trying. Rumor has it that a number of production companies have expressed interest in a deal with Take Two, but the publisher has so far rebuffed all advances. No idea why at this point, though some are speculating that it may be due to monetary disagreements or that they may be hoping to secure a much larger alliance with a studio. Or maybe they’re smart enough to realize that no matter how intelligent the story, Hollywood will certainly find a way to dilute it into box office dreck.
I don’t think any true sci-fi fan would deny the film Blade Runner as a source of major influence. As a staunch fan(atic) of the Philip K. Dick novel inspired Ridley Scott masterpiece, I watch this flim ritually once a year as if it were my own birthday. In fact, to show how truly geek I am, I prefer watching this film over celebrating my own birthday (sad, I know). And upon each viewing, I am always left awestruck. The acting. The visuals. The story. Even the realism holds belief today - some twenty-five years later. The seemingly infinite dystopian landscapes of Blade Runner are still how I envision an overpopulated future. Then again, I am a cynic. Nonetheless, I am amazed how well the visuals of this classic film hold up against all the CGI abused backdrops of big budget Hollywood films of today.
With Blade Runner Ultimate & Complete Collector’s Edition recently released on both HiDef formats, now is as good a time as any to reflect upon the film’s 25 years of influence. And what better place to start than with video games?
This is exactly what 1UP has done in a recently featured article. The article attempts comparisons of eight iconic video games with their famed precursor of artistic influence. The games selected cover three decades of gaming history as well, so there’s a good chance some gaming nostalgia will creep in. 1UP does a good job here with its analysis of Blade Runner’s influence specifically on each title without boring us with pixel-perfect details. If anything, it’s a good read that will possibly inspire you to check out a certain game you haven’t played before; or perhaps inspire you to replay a particular game again to discover the references yourself.
As the Hollywood Writer’s Strike drags on, the video game industry is hoping to cash in on viewers’ entertainment deficit.
“If you’re a fan of network programming, maybe seeing another repeat of ‘Pushing Daisies’ or ‘Cold Case’ will inspire you to finish that level of ‘Ratchet and Clank Future’ instead,” suggests Joseph Olin, president of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences.
Dan Connors, CEO of Telltale Games: “My hope is that people who are used to watching new programming on TV discover gaming as an entertainment alternative,” says Connors. “Obviously, it will have to be a pretty prolonged strike for that to happen, but I think it’s a definite possibility.”
The video game industry has been unaffected by the Writers Guild of America strike as it relies almost exclusively on non-union writing talent. The few writers that are represented by the WGA fall out of jurisdiction of the strike.
“There’s a much better relationship between game developers and publishers than there appears to be in terms of all the polemics between the writers, producers and studios,” says Olin.
Video games are going mainstream and becoming a more accepted form of entertainment. Sales of consoles, peripherals and games for November reached $2.63 billion, which is up 52% from last year. It seems the writers’ walk out and the ever higher cost of movie going will only spur our pleasure seeking society to embrace video games as an alternative form of entertainment.
Personally I’ve found much more time to catch up on my gaming and I’m enjoying it.
I believe that writing for video games is some of the most challenging work out there, especially for RPGs where the story line can branch out. Game writing is about possibilities and branching stories, you aren’t just writing one story, you’re writing scenarios and multiple plots based on the player’s choice and your ability to keep a tale coherent in spite or as a compliment of the player is a very hard skill to develop for a traditional writer.
Posted by William on Wednesday, December 26th, 2007 at 5:47 am under Halo
Will there ever be a Halo movie? Who really knows at this point? We know that multiple scripts have been written and deals have been made and un-made. Odds are, it probably will become a movie. At this point, it would be retarded to actually state that we really know anything beyond rumors. Guillermo Del Toro recently made some comments concerning Halo (movie):
It would have been beautiful and I must tell that’s a… of anything in my life that I look back and wish it could have happened is that project, because it is such a powerful experience. People talk about it and say “it’s ALIENS or it’s a retread of this or that,” I don’t think so. I think there are angle to that game that are far more epic and far more complex as a cosmology than that. It’s not just about grunts in space. It’s much more than that. It’s a whole epic.
The director of Pan’s Labyrinth and Blade II is right. I feel that there is certainly a ton of depth behind the Halo story. I just hope that Hollywood doesn’t wait too long. I also hope that they don’t screw it up. Hopefully, a director such as Peter Jackson would still be involved, but even Del Toro might not be a bad choice. We’ll just have to see what happens in 2008.
Score one for the nerds. Recently, Daniel Craig, the latest James Bond and star of Casino Royale, revealed that he loves playing video games whenever he gets a chance.
“I can switch the phone off and not see anybody for a couple of hours. That is blissful. It’s just as well I don’t have much spare time or I would probably fritter it away playing computer games.”
He also apparently knows enough about games to know that movie licenses usually equal terrible games and initially refused to sign off on a Casino Royale game:
When I started signing contracts for Bond I said, ‘I’m not doing the computer game’ and they said, ‘Tough, you are’. I said to the people making the Bond game, ‘You’ve got to make this good because there is so much rubbish out there.’
So, 007’s a gamer. Just remember that if you’re ever online playing someone with the Gamertag “xFromRu55iaWithLov3x.” Whatever you do though, don’t play him in poker. That’s just a bad idea.
EA have just sent word that the upcoming C&C3 expansion, Command & Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath, will feature two new Hollywood celebrities. Adding to the C&C3 cast are Hollywood veteran Carl Lumbly (”Alias”, “Justice League”) and the very lovely Natasha Henstridge (”Species”, “The Whole Nine Yards”). And if the expansion’s title wasn’t enough clue, the enigmatic Joe Kucan will be reprising his role as “The Messiah” … I mean Kane. I can’t imagine anyone other than Joe playing the immortal sociopath.
Straight from the Press Release:
“Natasha and Carl are a perfect fit for the live-action video sequences that will bring our epic story to life,” said Mike Verdu, General Manager of EALA and Executive Producer on Command & Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath. “We had great success with the cast and story for Command & Conquer 3, and I’m very excited to be working with such talented actors on the expansion pack. We’re doing something really unique with the campaign this time around – and I think fans will be thrilled to see how the story unfolds.”
Carl Lumbly, who many Cartoon Network junkies may recognize as the voice to J’onn J’onzz of “Justice League” fame, will be acting the role of Marcion in C&C3: Kane’s Wrath.
Natahsa Henstridge, herself, will be tackling the role of Alexa. Ironically, Natasha’s IMDB bio shows her as a 5′10″ blonde model-turned-actress hailing from Canada. Sound familiar?
Poor, Kane. It looks like his last hair plug session went badly. Full press release after the break.
Looks like the Castlevania movie may be coming sooner rather than later. Rumors of a possible Hollywood strike have prompted execs to ramp up production on a number of projects, including the Castlevania film adaptation. Paul W.S. Anderson, director of Resident Evil and Event Horizon, was slated to direct, but now it seems he will act as producer instead. At this time, Sylvain White (Stomp the Yard) is slated to direct, with Ian Jeffers (Death Sentence) finishing up the script right now. Anderson anticipates the film to begin shooting in just a few months.
So the Castlevania film is being directed by a guy whose only major release was a dance movie? And it’s being written by a guy whose only screenwriting credits to date are a mediocre sequel to a 1970’s Charles Bronson movie? Can’t wait for the final showdown between Simon Belmont and Dracula where they break out in an impromptu hip hop dance off.
As Chris covered earlier, Microsoft officially announced that Bioware’s upcoming RPG, Mass Effect, will feature voices of some well-known Hollywood celebrities. We even saw a video of Seth Green goofing off during his recording session.
Well now we’ve got some video interviews of all said actors. The above video (clocking in at 3 minutes) features interviews with Keith David (”Pitch Black”, “Crash”), Lance Henrikson (”Aliens”, TV’s “Millennium”), & Marina Sirtis (TV’s “Star Trek: TNG”).
Gotta give props to Keith David. His vocal (and acting) talent has been used everywhere. Odds are you’ve heard his voice before but never gave it much thought. Here’s one I bet you didn’t recognize: Keith David is the the voice narrating the U.S. Navy commercials.
Also, below is a link to a 2 minute interview with Seth Green, one of the mad men behind Cartoon Network’s Robot Chicken. This one is on a more serious note, however.
Mass Effect for Xbox 360 should be hitting stores November 20th.
Here’s an ominous question for you: when you hear the words “Gladiator meets Mad Max” do you automatically think of someone riding an ostrich and fighting pterodactyls? If not, then apparently you aren’t on the same wavelength as the people at the newly-formed Hollywood company, CP Productions. The company was created by two producers (Christine Peters and Michael Cerenzie) to create films targeted at the under-25 demographic. To do this, they’re working on releasing films and comics based on games both old and new. Their first project however will be to convert the classic arcade title, “Joust,” for the big screen. Cerenzie explains their reasoning:
“Joust is an arcade game that’s as old as Pac-Man and has global awareness. We took one element of the game and the brand itself and built a whole new world around it for the film. The film is set 25 years in the future and includes a Las Vegas suspended in mid-air. We’ve updated the game into a commercial, tent pole movie. Marc [Gottlieb, the scriptwriter] has done an amazing job in creating a tantalizing and filmic world based on the original game.”
Allow me to translate this from Hollywood-speak: *ahem* “We’re throwing out everything to do with the original game, except the color green, and creating whatever film we feel like. We’re going to call it “Joust” though, so we can have a video game tie-in.” Midway, who created the game, has already expressed interest in developing a new franchise based on the movie. There’s also a plan to publish a Joust graphic novel around the same time as the movie is released. And CP doesn’t plan on stopping with just this game; Cerenzie estimates that about 80% of their film projects will involve some sort of gaming element. If Joust is as successful as they hope, we could start seeing more classic games given the silver screen treatment.
Waitaminute…if they’re targeting an audience of under 25, why are they releasing a movie based on a game that’s over 25 years old? And when are they going to get around to producing my vision of one game character’s gritty origin, titled “Pac-Man Begins?”
Posted by William on Friday, June 29th, 2007 at 3:52 am under Gamer Life
Cartoons based on video games are about equally hit and miss as Hollywood movies of the same kind. Occasionally, the odds are broken and some great cartoons based on video games hit the television screen. I’d have to admit, that most cartoons based on video games ended up looking like crap and tasting even worse, but the list of the worst cartoons based on video games is for another day. Most of the great cartoons on my list come from the ass kicking days of cartoons when Saturday morning was worth waking up for. Videos of #2 through #5 follow the break. Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments.
A while back, I mentioned that there was in fact a Wii Lightsaber game coming out. Of course I was blasted by several readers in the comments basically claiming it would never happen and that the rumor was probably not true. Back then I mentioned LucasArts is a very secretive organization and it’s tough to get information out of them far off a release date. Now, Jim Ward has been talking more and more about the Wii game and it truly seems we will see something soon. Gamasutra reported on some interesting comments by Ward, LucasArts’s President. I truly believe that an awesome Star Wars game for the Wii is exactly what Nintendo needs. Read the full article
Posted by William on Saturday, June 2nd, 2007 at 6:11 pm under Gamer Life
I found an interesting interview over at WorthPlaying.com with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson about his role in the new Spyhunter video game and film. He discusses his love for video games, particularly sports games such as Madden NFL Football. It’s a long interview and definitely worth checking out. Dwayne Johnson is also working on a new Knight Rider project. I’m not sure if he can outdo the Hasselhoff though.
Q: How does the whole you getting into the game thing come about?
Well they approached me about it, probably a little over a year ago. When they approached me it made sense, especially because we had started developing the movie. So they thought it would be a good fit. I sat down with all the guys from Midway and the developers, the executives, and they laid out a great game plan that was pretty irresistible. Also, I was a big fan of the game, so it made sense. My first question about the game was how it was going to be different? They said it’s going to be different because for the first time, now you can step out of the car and play as Alex Decker. So I thought okay, that’s really, really cool.
While the Universal Media Disc, Sony’s format of choice for the Playstation Portable may not have taken off as a DVD competitor, in an article with Home Media Magazine , Sony’s Senior Vice President of marketing, Peter Dille speculates that with the recent price drop of the PSP that there may yet be hope for the failed movie format.
“The story on UMD is that we didn’t do a very good job at launch with articulating what consumer we were going after,†Dille said. “The studio said ‘here’s a new format.’ And that triggers a bunch of things in the Hollywood pipeline that really didn’t make sense for PSP. Shame on us, because we didn’t explain we were aiming at 18- to 34-year-old males. We’re looking more for Jackass-type movie content. There was a proliferation of UMD movies that didn’t make much sense, and they backed up at retail.â€
After losing support of major retailers and witnessing fire sales of the discs at places like Wal Mart and Target, Dille says that Hollywood and retailers may jump back onto the UMD bandwagon. Dille promised announcements in the near future regarding UMD’s rebirth.
Today the LA Times reported that Michael Bay and his special effects house Digital Domain are joining the game industry with an as yet unrevealed First Person Shooter title. Bay, best known as a director of over-the-top summer action movies featuring big explosions, says his goal is to bridge the visual gap between games and film.
The studio is opening its own game development group and hopes to acquire some other studios to build up to the goal of producing four or five games in the next two years. This is a pretty aggressive move for someone not already in the gaming space, especially considering that most modern games require two to three years of development. Digital Domain hopes by adding gaming savvy staff that they can compete against companies like Electronic Arts, Activision and THQ Inc.
Full details of the article can be found on LA Times online.
Microsoft is dead serious about trying to turn the Xbox 360 into a digital distribution wonder machine. So serious in fact that they’ve signed a deal with a production company to produce original shows exclusively for their system. The Safran Company is owned by Peter Safran (producer of “Meet the Spartans”) and represents clients such as actor and writer Nia Vardalos (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”), filmmakers Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer (“Epic Movie”), and Sean “P. Diddy Puff Daddy” Combs. Yes, that’s truly a dream team of filmmakers they’ve got behind them. On the plus side, Safran has said that the first round of productions will all be scripted (i.e. no reality shows) and will most likely be very genre-focused. The shows should run under ten minutes may be offered elsewhere after a timed run on the Xbox 360. Microsoft has said this is expected to be the first of many similar deals. The first round of videos should start hitting the Xbox Live Marketplace this fall.
As the Hollywood Writer’s Strike drags on, the video game industry is hoping to cash in on viewers’ entertainment deficit.
Score one for the nerds. Recently, Daniel Craig, the latest James Bond and star of Casino Royale, revealed that he loves playing video games whenever he gets a chance.
Here’s an ominous question for you: when you hear the words “Gladiator meets Mad Max” do you automatically think of someone riding an ostrich and fighting pterodactyls? If not, then apparently you aren’t on the same wavelength as the people at the newly-formed Hollywood company, CP Productions. The company was created by two producers (Christine Peters and Michael Cerenzie) to create films targeted at the under-25 demographic. To do this, they’re working on releasing films and comics based on games both old and new. Their first project however will be to convert the classic arcade title, “Joust,” for the big screen. Cerenzie explains their reasoning:
While the Universal Media Disc, Sony’s format of choice for the Playstation Portable may not have taken off as a DVD competitor, in an article with
Today the LA Times reported that Michael Bay and his special effects house Digital Domain are joining the game industry with an as yet unrevealed First Person Shooter title. Bay, best known as a director of over-the-top summer action movies featuring big explosions, says his goal is to bridge the visual gap between games and film.
