Joystiq

Ubisoft hires English playwright to pen Assassin's Creed screenplay

Jessica Conditt — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 16:00:00 EST

The Assassin's Creed movie is getting some backstage class by tapping English playwright Michael Lesslie to adapt the screenplay. Lesslie's previous writing work includes Prince of Denmark, which was performed at the National Theatre in 2012, short films such as Skirt, and an acclaimed adaptation of the memoir War Reporting for Cowards.

Michael Fassbender, recently known as Magneto in X-Men: First Class and the robot David in Prometheus, is set to star in and co-produce the Assassin's Creed film. In October, Ubisoft Motion Pictures tagged New Regency as a partner on the movie. We're pretty shocked at all the public information about this film; for some reason, we assumed the whole thing would be more stealthy.

Ubisoft hires English playwright to pen Assassin's Creed screenplay originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 Jan 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kotick on why firing West, Zampella was easy, turning down a CoD film

Jessica Conditt — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 18:00:00 EST

Activision CEO Bobby Kotick settled a lawsuit with former employees Jason West and Vince Zampella, both now of Respawn Entertainment, in May. Kotick fired West and Zampella in 2010, after learning they were going to bail on their contracts to sign under EA, Kotick said, and from there, his job was easy:

"You find out two executives are planning to break their contracts, keep the money you gave them and steal 40 employees. What do you do? You fire them," Kotick told The New York Times in an extensive profile. West and Zampella sued Activision for royalties they said they never received from Modern Warfare 2, and though the terms of the settlement were never disclosed, the case's conclusion had West smiling.

Kotick's NYT profile extended from his high school years, when he would pick up friends in a chauffeured limo to visit Studio 54, to his time in college and to the present, when he fended off offers from Hollywood to turn Call of Duty into a high-budget film. Kotick said movies based on games rarely do well with fans and could blemish the Call of Duty brand.

He might be on to something there.

Kotick on why firing West, Zampella was easy, turning down a CoD film originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 16 Dec 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Angry Birds movie tags Despicable Me, Iron Man producers, out in 2016

Jessica Conditt — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 15:00:00 EST

The Angry Birds movie is happening. Despicable Me producer John Cohen has signed on to produce, and Iron Man executive producer David Maisel is taking the same role in Rovio's feature film. The Angry Birds movie is set to hit theaters in summer 2016, and it's fully funded and produced by Rovio outside of the standard studio system.

"John's an exceptionally talented producer, and we're delighted to have him join the flock," says Mikael Hed, Rovio CEO. "With John's hands-on producer background and David's expertise in establishing and running his own successful studio, these two are the dream team for making a movie outside the studio system. Both professionals have the ideal skills and vision to achieve incredible things."

Rovio held meetings with Hollywood advisers in 2010 and was rumored to have sought funding to the tune of $1.2 billion in 2011 to expand its entertainment offerings. As this film takes off, keep one thing in mind: Cohen is the guy who thought 2007's Alvin and the Chipmunks was a good idea.

Continue reading Angry Birds movie tags Despicable Me, Iron Man producers, out in 2016

Angry Birds movie tags Despicable Me, Iron Man producers, out in 2016 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Dec 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A Week Between Blockbusters

Ludwig Kietzmann — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 20:30:00 EST

You're reading Reaction Time, a weekly column that claims to examine recent events, games and trends in the industry, but is really just looking for an excuse to use the word "zeitgeist." It debuts on Fridays in Engadget's digital magazine, Distro.

Thanks to a shared caution between movie studios, you were saved from seconds of paralyzing indecision last weekend. Had Total Recall and The Bourne Legacy stuck to a shared release date in theaters, as originally scheduled, you'd have become a seated participant in an extravagant and mutually destructive showdown. Between Colin Farrell and Jeremy Renner, which pouting action star would have gotten your twelve bucks and two hours?

If you're a movie buff, you might not even hesitate spending time and money on both consecutively. But what happens when you bump the price up to $60, and extend the temporal investment to something between 8 and 80 hours? Now you see the dilemma squeezed in-between this holiday's most anticipated shooters, Halo 4 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, and all of a sudden one week doesn't seem like much of a buffer at all.

Continue reading A Week Between Blockbusters

A Week Between Blockbusters originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 07 Aug 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Visit Silent Hill during Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights this October

Jordan Mallory — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 20:25:00 EST

You know, we were just saying the other day how we wished we could spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on a trip across the country to be tortured by grotesque manifestations of our terrible inner demons and dark secrets. How serendipitous then that Universal Studios and Konami should announce a partnership that fulfills that exact wish!

Well, maybe the Silent Hill portion of Universal Studio's upcoming Halloween Horror Nights attraction won't actually transform life into an unending fount of misery and soullessness, but walking around a replica Silent Hill does sound like a pretty sweet idea.

The announcement video above specifically calls out Fog World, Otherworld, Pyramid Head and the Nurses as parts of the Silent Hill mythos that will be brought to life by the attraction, so if you're seeking redemption for the terrible sins you've committed, maybe book a flight to Hollywood or Orlando this October.

Visit Silent Hill during Universal Studios' Halloween Horror Nights this October originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 15 Jul 2012 20:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Deus Ex film rights picked up by CBS

David Hinkle — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 13:20:00 EST

CBS Films has picked up the rights to Square Enix's Deus Ex franchise, and plans on producing a movie based on the latest game in the series, Deux Ex: Human Revolution. Developer Eidos Montreal will have a stake in the film, Variety reports, with CBS Films working "closely" with Eidos Montreal on adapting the game for the big screen.

"No one knows Human Revolution like the team that created it, and we look forward to working with them from day one to make a film adaptation worthy of the 'Deus Ex' name," CBS Films co-president Terry Press said. Adrian Askarieh will act as one of the producers, a name you may recognize if you're still waiting for that sequel to Hitman.

Deus Ex film rights picked up by CBS originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Jul 2012 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Book: Halo film failed because Microsoft doesn't 'get' Hollywood

Jessica Conditt — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST

Microsoft didn't mess up when it hired a fleet of actors in Spartan armor to deliver the Halo script to potential movie studios, and the deal didn't stall when each production house had a fixed amount of time to read and bid on the screenplay. In the end Microsoft wanted too much, and it didn't know how to ask for it - it only knew how to demand. The industry differences between Microsoft and the film's two production studios, Fox and Universal, eventually led to the project's implosion, Jamie Russell explains in his book, Generation Xbox: How Video Games Invaded Hollywood.

Microsoft's terms included $10 million against 15 percent of the box office gross, a budget of at least $75 million and fast-tracked production, as well as creative approval over the director, regular flights from Seattle to L.A. to review post-production footage and 60 first-class plane tickets for Microsoft personnel and guests to attend the premiere, all at the expense of whichever studio picked up the script. Not even Harry Potter was getting this level of concessions, Larry Shapiro of Hollywood talent agency CAA says.

Continue reading Book: Halo film failed because Microsoft doesn't 'get' Hollywood

Book: Halo film failed because Microsoft doesn't 'get' Hollywood originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Resident Evil: Retribution brings back Alice, adds Barry and Leon

David Hinkle — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 22:00:00 EST

If you're anxiously awaiting the next Paul W.S. Anderson Resident Evil joint, we've got to ask: "Why?" We can't imagine anyone is dying to see another one of these trainwrecks (in 3D again, no less!), but if you are, some new details on Bloody Disgusting may interest you. Milla Jovovich will reprise her role as Alice in the next film, which now has an official title: Resident Evil: Retribution. Her husband, Paul W.S. Anderson, will once again direct.

Resident Evil: Retribution currently has a tentative release date of September 14, 2012. Sienna Guillory, who played Jill Valentine in the second film (and made an appearance in the last movie), will return, she has said on Twitter -- though BD says that role is being recast. Also, according to BD, Barry Burton and Leon S. Kennedy will both make appearances in Retribution.

Filming for Resident Evil: Retribution will begin in October.

Resident Evil: Retribution brings back Alice, adds Barry and Leon originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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King of Kong remake has a new script, penned as a mockumentary

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:40:00 EST

Director Seth Gordon launched his first major film back in 2007, King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters, and has since gone on to a successful career in directing several feature films and major television shows. He's even pinned to the forthcoming remake of '80s hacking classic, WarGames. His next move, however, could be a return to the documentary that launched his career, with Gordon telling The Playlist that he's still hard at work on a New Line Cinema-backed remake.

Bizarrely, said remake may actually take on a mockumentary feel. Gordon credits his recent television work as inspiration: "There's a few different avenues. I've done some work on 'Modern Family' and 'The Office' and have worked in this doc style, and so that inspired me to say, instead of doing a traditional narrative feature script, what if we did the remake in the doc style?"

Black List contestant Melissa Stack penned the most recent draft of the script, which Gordon takes as confirmation that the project is still "quite real." We can't imagine Billy Mitchell being too responsive to direction in Gordon's remake, but then again that tumultuous interaction could turn out to be a hilarious documentary unto itself.

King of Kong remake has a new script, penned as a mockumentary originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: King of Kong director bringing back WarGames

Ben Gilbert — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 19:50:00 EST

Guys, we're just gonna be honest -- we kinda really love the MGM hacking classic, WarGames. Alongside Sneakers, it's right up there at the top of our list of best films about computers. And apparently it's getting a reboot from King of Kong director Seth Gordon.

Gordon took a break from documentaries since his 2010 adaptation of NYT bestseller Freakonomics, most recently directing a handful of NBC sitcoms (The Office, Community) and a feature film, Horrible Bosses. He's currently working on two other films, and his IMDB page has yet to even note the supposed reboot in his list of work.

Deadline claims to have gotten exclusive news about said reboot, though unfortunately few details are provided beyond the director and production studio. Lacking details aside, we're taking a wild guess that there'll be at least one joke referencing thermonuclear war.

Report: King of Kong director bringing back WarGames originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Jun 2011 19:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Writers hired for big-screen Tomb Raider reboot

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 05 May 2011 20:40:00 EST

The writing duo behind such films as Iron Man and the forthcoming Cowboys & Aliens have signed on to help pen the next Tomb Raider film, reports Deadline. Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby are the two gentlemen who allegedly will be helping refresh Lara's life on the silver screen, with the piece noting that "a new adventure storyline" will be created for the film.

As previously reported, the rebooted film franchise is expected to launch in 2013, though no details have been provided as to the film's content, or whether franchise star Angelina Jolie will be reprising the role of Lara Croft. Fergus and Ostby's talent agency, CAA, had yet to respond to request for comment as of publishing.

Report: Writers hired for big-screen Tomb Raider reboot originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 05 May 2011 20:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ubisoft survey gauges interest in Assassin's Creed, Ghost Recon films

David Hinkle — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 21:30:00 EST

A survey floating around seems to suggest Ubisoft is entertaining the idea of bringing some of its franchises over to the big screen -- specifically, Assassin's Creed and Ghost Recon. The above image was submitted to Evil Avatar, which says the survey is geared the toward finding out what would most make those taking it want to see movies based on the franchises -- Ezio, Subject 16 and the like.

While we feel the world would probably be just fine without another war flick, we'd be all for an Assassin's Creed movie, granted that the project wasn't entirely about making money but also making a good movie. We're probably being a bit naive, though.

Ubisoft survey gauges interest in Assassin's Creed, Ghost Recon films originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fifth Resident Evil movie in the works, scheduled for 2012

Andrew Yoon — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 20:20:00 EST

Like the zombies it's based off of, the Resident Evil movie franchise will not die. Although the fifth film has yet to be subtitled, it does have a date. "Resident Evil 5" will be in theaters -- in 3D, of course -- on September 14, 2012.

There's good reason for the hastened production schedule for yet another sequel. According to Box Office Mojo, last year's Resident Evil film, Afterlife, was the highest grossing in the series, generating over $236 million, which is "about as much as the first three movies combined," the site notes. Afterlife enjoyed success in international markets and generated additional revenue through its 3D presentations. According to the report, about 80 percent of Afterlife's domestic revenue came from its extra-dimensional screenings.

With the success of Resident Evil on the silver screen, it's no surprise Capcom and Sony Pictures are trying to strike gold again. In addition to Resident Evil, a Devil May Cry film is also in the works.

Fifth Resident Evil movie in the works, scheduled for 2012 originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 04 Mar 2011 20:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Devil May Cry movie rights acquired by Screen Gems

Andrew Yoon — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 20:45:00 EST

Screen Gems' last partnership with Capcom was a resounding success: the Resident Evil films have grossed over $580 million worldwide. It is undoubtedly looking to replicate that success with its latest acquisition, Devil May Cry.

Kyle Ward has been hired to write the script. Ward is currently unproven; his first feature-length script, Fiasco Heights, will debut later this year. In addition to Devil May Cry, Ward is also signed for another video game adaptation: Kane & Lynch. According to Variety, the film will feature Dante on a quest to "avenge his mother's murder by killing off demons."

Given the early status of the project, it's unclear if the film will be based on the classic games, or on Ninja Theory's upcoming reboot. Given Paul Anderson's creative freedom on the Resident Evil franchise, it's entirely possible that the Hollywood Dante will be an entirely original one, as well.

[Image credit: Jo Chen]

Devil May Cry movie rights acquired by Screen Gems originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 28 Feb 2011 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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David O. Russell responds to Uncharted movie fan concerns

Andrew Yoon — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 15:45:00 EST

David O. Russell is currently making headlines as the Academy Award-nominated director of The Fighter. But gamers are probably more interested in one of his next projects: a silver screen adaptation of the Uncharted series. The numerous changes made to the core story have some fans concerned that Russell simply doesn't get it. Responding to those accusations, Russell told SlashFilm that he's "played the game a bunch of times" and has even met Naughty Dog's Amy Hennig. "As far as I'm concerned, I'm very respectful as far as the core content and spirit of the game."

Russell argues that "there's not a bunch of movies you can point to that are made from games that are amazing movies, that stand up to time as a franchise or as [individual films]." By focusing on "what I think is going to be an amazing movie," Russell says that "it's going to be real, it's going to be raw, it's going to be intense, it's going to be original, and it's going to be propulsive."

(And he apparently doesn't know who Nathan Fillion is.)

David O. Russell responds to Uncharted movie fan concerns originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA hosts Need for Speed Hot Pursuit launch party in Hollywood

Mike Schramm — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 13:21:00 EST

EA hosted a launch party for its new Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit game last night at the Avalon nightclub in Hollywood. Among the celebrities and performers Chiddy Bang, we found Criterion Games' creative director Craig Sullivan right before he introduced the game to the audience. "It's been amazing," he said of the response to the game so far.

"We're really really happy with it." Sullivan's been a fan of Need for Speed since the original 3DO game, and along with the rest of Criterion, he says he was thrilled to get the chance to make an official title. "When we got our shot at the title, everybody was really up for it and we just kind of went crazy."

We asked about DLC for the game, but Sullivan was still mum. "Given the fact that Criterion Games did a year of downloadable content for Burnout Paradise," he admitted, "I would be very surprised if we didn't do any followups or downloadable content for Need for Speed." But when pressed on what that DLC might be, he declined to comment until later on.

Still, the party was a good time -- EA invited about 5,000 members of the public to come enjoy the game in a club that only held about 2,000 people. You can see pictures of the event in the gallery below.

Gallery: Need for Speed Hot Pursuit launch party

EA hosts Need for Speed Hot Pursuit launch party in Hollywood originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 13:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Levine: Game industry 'star-struck' by Hollywood

James Ransom-Wiley — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

You wouldn't blame Ken Levine for having a chip on his shoulder when it comes to Hollywood. After all, as Develop recounts, the respected game designer "failed spectacularly" in his first career as a scriptwriter. So, when Levine was offered an opportunity to make a game with, in his words, "a very talented film director," it's not much of a stretch to imagine he experienced more than a little satisfaction in turning down the offer.

"My feeling is why?" Levine questioned. "Why would any game designer want to do that?"

Aside from any personal justice he might have enjoyed, Levine answers his own question with another: "Why would I want a film director to help me make a game, any more than they would want me to help out with their films?" And he takes it further: "I think there's a sense in the entertainment fields that video games are seen as the junior varsity," he said. "There's this feeling of 'oh one day you can come up to our league.'"

"In our industry there's too many people star-struck of the movie world, jumping into deals with some big movie director just because they're big film directors." No, Levine isn't taunting del Toro, he's just reflecting on the obvious clash between how great games have been made (hint: rather anonymously) and the looming cult of celebrity eager to pervade the game industry.

But hey, Ken, at least they asked you to work with a movie director -- just about anything passes as a star these days. Who would you rather (make your game with): Bristol Palin or The Situation?

Levine: Game industry 'star-struck' by Hollywood originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just Cause film optioned, screenwriter attached

Ben Gilbert — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Eric Eisner's L+E Productions has optioned the rights to a Just Cause movie script written by Michael Ross, reports Variety. Producer Adrian Askarieh is helping the production company flesh out the project "before shopping it to the studios." L+E Productions' first project, Hamlet 2, was picked up by Focus Features for a reported $10 million in 2008, giving some hope to the possibility of Just Cause actually appearing in theaters at some point in the future. Askarieh also helped to get the Hitman film out the door, to which a sequel is currently in production.

The Just Cause film will apparently focus on the story of Rico "The Scorpion" Rodriguez as he takes on "deadly missions for the US government that come in the form of creating chaos and destrabalizing rogue nations from within and turning the bad guys against each other." Sound familiar? Let's just hope the adaptation doesn't take any of that ... questionable NPC chatter along for the ride.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

Just Cause film optioned, screenwriter attached originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 03 Oct 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Enslaved pitched as real-time Unreal Engine 3 movie, shot down by Hollywood

Andrew Yoon — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Ninja Theory has always had Hollywood ambitions. Its last game, Heavenly Sword, employed extensive use of motion capture, and had Lord of the Rings alum Andy Serkis as a pivotal contributor to the project. Before Enslaved was revealed, Ninja Theory's Nina Kristensen teased the possibility of a CG movie to accompany the game's release -- but what happened to Ninja Theory's envisioned film?

"We were serious about it. We went to all the big studios in Hollywood and pitched the idea," Tameem Antoniades told Destructoid. Unfortunately, Hollywood wasn't interested in Ninja Theory's vision: to create a feature-length film using real-time graphics powered by Unreal Engine 3 (used for the game). "They don't want to do it for cheap. They want Pixar and the other higher end [studios] to do it for 100 million dollars or 60 million dollars. To do it any other way is considered a huge risk, so it just didn't wash."

We can certainly understand the studios' hesitance towards the concept. While Enslaved certainly looks good, an Unreal-rendered movie probably wouldn't be pretty enough to appeal to the mass-market movie watcher used to Pixar. And with Enslaved having yet to prove itself as a valuable IP, it's no surprise that the film adaptation never came to fruition.

Enslaved pitched as real-time Unreal Engine 3 movie, shot down by Hollywood originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Sep 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Angry Birds dev working with Hollywood advisors for possible movie pitch

Andrew Yoon — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 03:00:00 EST

Filed under: Weird But True, Opinions, New In Pop Culture

Movie adaptations of console games are no surprise. But when was the last time you heard of a movie based on an iPhone game? Angry Birds, a Boom Blox-esque 2D puzzle game, may be the first App Store title to find a Hollywood adaptation, according to a new report in Variety.

At first, the idea may seem ludicrous, but developer Rovio sees opportunity to transform the title into an "evergreen" franchise. With over six million sales, the game has already generated more than $5 million in revenue for the Finnish developer. And with more than five million views of the game's animated trailer on YouTube, it's clear that there is certainly a demand for resentful winged vertebrates.

Rovio has enlisted the help of various "Hollywood advisors," including Peter Levin and Russell Binder, with the hopes of an adaptation with the appearance of claymation (a la Aardman Animation). While a deal is being secured, Rovio's challenge is to bring the game to "every possible place," including consoles like the PS3, PSP and DS. With Hollywood deals taking years to complete, Rovio knows that it will be difficult "to make sure the brand is relevant when the movie comes out."

Continue reading Angry Birds dev working with Hollywood advisors for possible movie pitch

Angry Birds dev working with Hollywood advisors for possible movie pitch originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 03:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rollercoaster Tycoon movie rights picked up by Sony Pictures

Andrew Yoon — Thu, 13 May 2010 11:03:00 EST

Sony Pictures has been rather successful with its Resident Evil movie franchise, so it only makes sense that the company has acquired the rights for the next big video game movie: ~~Heavy Rain~~ ~~God of War~~ Rollercoaster Tycoon. According to a report by Reuters, the project is being developed as a live-action/CGI hybrid at Sony Pictures Animation, with Harald Zwart, director of the upcoming Karate Kid remake, taking an executive producer role.

Heat Vision adds that David Ronn and Jay Scherick are attached as writers, tasked with adapting the PC game into a marketable movie. Perhaps that should be an easier task than their current project: writing The Smurfs reboot. Considering the original games had no story whatsoever, the writers will have a lot of creative freedom -- as long as they remember to put rollercoasters in it.

[Thanks, Joshua!]

Rollercoaster Tycoon movie rights picked up by Sony Pictures originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 13 May 2010 11:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Producer hopes to start filming Silent Hill 2 in 'late spring'

David Hinkle — Thu, 06 May 2010 16:30:00 EST

Anxious to check out the sequel to 2006's big screen adaptation of Silent Hill? Producer Don Carmody -- who is also working on the upcoming Paul W.S. Anderson film, Resident Evil: Afterlife -- told Fearnet that he's "hoping to start [filming] it in late spring in Toronto." Carmody also reveals in the interview that the first film generated a lot of hate mail. Here's hoping the second go-round invokes a bit less vitriol.

The sequel will once again feature actress Radha Mitchell, but, as we reported last year, director Christophe Gans does not appear to be returning. Is that a good or bad thing? We'll let you decide.

Producer hopes to start filming Silent Hill 2 in 'late spring' originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 06 May 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ex-Infinity Ward heads now represented by Creative Artists Agency

Ben Gilbert — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST

In the video game industry, the talent (read: game developers) are often "hired guns," if you will -- part of a developer that is either wholly owned by a publisher (i.e. Infinity Ward's relationship with Activision) or a developer that's being contracted for development by a publisher (i.e. Ruffian Games' relationship with Microsoft). Rarely, if ever, is an individual (or individuals, as is the case here) represented by a talent agency, nonetheless a fancy, bigtime Hollywood one like Creative Artists Agency. That is, however, the case for the recently let go ex-Infinity Ward heads Vince Zampella and Jason West, who recently inked a deal with the agency.

Though a CAA representative wouldn't divulge any info on what the duo's next move is (nor the CAA's next move on their behalf), we have to imagine the pair's pedigree will help out just a bit in finding work. According to the LA Times Company Town blog report, hollywood talent agencies aren't exactly known for scooping up game developers, so this could very well mark a new option for (at very least) big name devs in search of greener pastures.

Ex-Infinity Ward heads now represented by Creative Artists Agency originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Warner Bros. in talks to produce Space Invaders movie

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:30:00 EST

According to a recent report from the L.A. Times, Warner Bros. is in talks with Japanese game developer Taito to secure the rights for a film adaptation of Space Invaders. The Times speculates the film would be a big-budget action-blockbuster, helmed by prolific producers of big-budget action-blockbusters, such as Mark Gordon, Jason Blum and Guymon Casady.

In other news, we're planning on doing our own version of Space Invaders pretty soon, only it will be about us, attempting to invade outer space, because we don't want to live on this stupid, terrible planet anymore.

[Via IGN]

Warner Bros. in talks to produce Space Invaders movie originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Modern Warfare 2 talent director Keith Arem moves to film

David Hinkle — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:00:00 EST

[IMDB]

What do you do once you've directed actors for a game that's piled up millions faster than pretty much everything? Well, if you follow the Keith Arem School of Thought, you move on to directing in film. Variety reports that Arem's just signed on to direct upcoming action-thriller Frost Road -- the story of a man who awakens from a car crash to find the world is infected with a deadly disease to which he is inexplicably immune.

Moving on to movie making is not much of a stretch for Arem, who was the talent director responsible for rounding up actors and coordinating their efforts in Modern Warfare 2. He also penned the script for Frost Road, so we're totally expecting the protagonist to have one bitchin' mustache.

Modern Warfare 2 talent director Keith Arem moves to film originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Universal wins 'bidding war' for Asteroids movie rights

Ludwig Kietzmann — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:45:00 EST

[INTERIOR] [SPACE STATION SORBET VII]

ENSIGN CAMEO: Sir! I'm picking up several signatures on my gamma pulse spectrum radar!
GENERAL CONSENSUS: Is it an attack? Did the Radical Space Sect find us?
ENSIGN CAMEO: No, sir, these objects are too small ... too listless and apathetic to be ships! It's like they have no particular trajectory ... they're completely unpredictable.
GENERAL CONSENSUS: Dr. Diana Fhire! What do you make of this?
DR. FHIRE: Hmm, I've never seen anything like this, possibly because I'm meant to be this film's gratuitous eye candy and thus possess highly suspect academic qualifications like Denise Richards did in that one Bond movie. Anyway, my tachyon scanner indicates that we are not dealing with biological matter. In fact, the substance seems ... no, that can't be!
GENERAL CONSENSUS: What? What are we dealing with here?
DR. FHIRE: Rocks. Big rocks. In space.
GENERAL CONSENSUS: My god. Space rocks ... but how?
DR. FHIRE: It's only a theory, but I believe coming into contact with these ... these ... "asteroids" could kill us severely.
GENERAL CONSENSUS: How ... how many of them pose a threat?

[CLOSE UP ON DR. FHIRE]

DR. FHIRE: All of them, general.

[CLOSER UP ON DR. FHIRE]

DR. FHIRE. All. Of. Them.

[INTERIOR] [ALARMS SOUND]

GENERAL CONSENSUS: Ensign! Get me gruff-but-likable washout pilot Jack Plot. He's the only one that can fly the experimental Triangulon Mark V --
DR. FHIRE: The Triangulon?! Are you crazy? That thing's still a prototype! It's not tested for --
GENERAL CONSENSUS: We don't have a choice, Diana. I'm not getting my ass kicked by these roids!

ASTEROIDS: THE MOVIE
Written by Matthew Lopez
Produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura

Universal wins 'bidding war' for Asteroids movie rights originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tigon's Ian Stevens: For Hollywood, 'making video games has been the same thing as making action figures'

Ben Gilbert — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:15:00 EST

Running Tigon Studios is a bit of a strange job to have. Ian Stevens, the man in charge, is responsible for not just organizing development talent to make games like this year's Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena, but also working with Hollywood. And, unsurprisingly, he says it's a bit of an uphill battle, telling GamesIndustry.biz, "It's really hard to take something that's native to a certain medium and just draw a line, which is what people are usually trying to do [with games based on movies.]"

He equates the attention Hollywood has been giving to game versions of its films with "action figures, pictures on cereal boxes, and [themed] pajamas," saying it's just part of the "licensing and merchandising" of a property, rather than creating something unique and well-crafted from the start. Furthermore, Stevens says that the development studios who are working with nothing (think Ben 10) and making something -- anything -- out of it, are the real talent in the industry. "If you gave that team in Newcastle [Midway Newcastle] - through all that they've struggled with, technology, corporate business, all these different things - the kind of opportunity that someone like Valve has," he says, leaving us to postulate on the ending there. We'll let you guys fill that in all by yourselves.

Tigon's Ian Stevens: For Hollywood, 'making video games has been the same thing as making action figures' originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tigon's Ian Stevens sees an evolving relationship between gaming and Hollywood

Ben Gilbert — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EST

No stranger to the Stiq, Tigon Studios head Ian Stevens has been talking Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena post-mortem recently. While speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, though, Stevens discussed the game industry and Hollywood becoming closer bedfellows, mostly due to -- wait for it -- money! Considering the $22 billion gaming made in the US in 2008, we're not exactly surprised when he says, "Hollywood and games, over the next decade, you'll see some really interesting things happen."

When asked whether he believes Hollywood's attitude towards gaming has changed over the past five years, he seems somewhat wishy-washy, saying, "It certainly has [but] people in Hollywood struggle to understand the creative decisions that we make." And that's likely how we end up with treasures like 2004's Van Helsing, which Stevens says took precedence over the first Chronicles of Riddick game, Escape From Butcher Bay. How the tables have turned, eh Ian?

Tigon's Ian Stevens sees an evolving relationship between gaming and Hollywood originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Legendary Pictures hires EA Casual vet for games venture

Randy Nelson — Tue, 19 May 2009 18:00:00 EST

As expected, former EA Casual president Kathy Vrabeck has accepted the top spot at Legendary Pictures' new digital division. Variety reports that Vrabeck is looking to bring games based on Legendary's properties -- including the still-in-development The Lost Patrol, a tie-in with the upcoming 2010 theatrical thriller -- as well as original IP to consoles, mobile devices and online portals. The company's development effort will be based out of its offices on the Warner Bros. lot.

Legendary's intent to add video games to its portfolio was actually revealed last year, but can now get into full swing under Vrabeck. While the production company is unproven in games, it has an impressive track record in Hollywood, having delivered the likes of Batman Begins, The Dark Knight and Watchmen. It's currently developing films based on World of Warcraft and Gears of War.

[Via VG247]

Legendary Pictures hires EA Casual vet for games venture originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 May 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gears of War screenwriter wants The Rock for Marcus Fenix

David Hinkle — Sat, 09 May 2009 13:00:00 EST

Chris Morgan recently wrapped up his script for the Gears of War movie, and it's right around now that the folks behind the production of the film need to start thinking about a cast, with Marcus Fenix obviously being the most important character. While you may think thespians such as Sean Penn, Mickey Rourke, and Bruce Willis would do well in the role, Morgan actually likes Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, he told MTV.

Morgan applauds The Rock's depth, saying he can "play the tough guy, but he can also play the nuanced, sensitive funny sad moments as well." He would need that depth, too, because if there's anything that must make it into the film, it's the game's deep, emotional storyline and characters.

[Via DigitalBattle]

Gears of War screenwriter wants The Rock for Marcus Fenix originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 09 May 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Screenwriter explains why Shadow of the Colossus would make a good film

Andrew Yoon — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:00:00 EST

The response to a potential Hollywood adaptation of Shadow of the Colossus has been rather polarizing. On one hand, fans of the game would love to see Fumito Ueda's vision come to life on the big screen. However, jaded movie watchers fear that a film simply wouldn't do the game justice -- especially in the unproven hands of screenwriter Justin Marks (Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li).

Marks understands the pitfalls of adapting a game into a movie. He explained to The Hollywood Reporter that writers are "caught trying to please the fans and the mainstream audience." The balancing act of appeasing fans while holding onto mainstream sensibilities is a difficult one, but one can't help but wonder who Marks was trying to please with Street Fighter. Thankfully, Marks admits Shadow of the Colossus will be an easier film to adapt. "What's so nice about this game is that it's all seen through such an adult lens, so that what pleases the fans also pleases a wider audience."

The simple nature of the game's tale should make Marks' job much easier. "What's nice about this game is that it's so sparse so you can start building right away." While he says he'll avoid Hollywood cliches, it'll take masterful writing to carefully construct an experience that resonates as strongly as the original game.

Screenwriter explains why Shadow of the Colossus would make a good film originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AMD ships 50 millionth 'Hollywood' graphics processing chip for Wii

Griffin McElroy — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: News

A recent AMD press release brought word of yet another hardware milestone for Nintendo -- earlier today, AMD shipped its 50 millionth "Hollywood" chip, the graphics processor for the Wii. With such a large number of units sold, the "Hollywood" has become AMD's most successful (and likely most profitable) gaming console chip in the company's history.

It's safe to assume by AMD's missive that Nintendo has manufactured around 50 million Wiis -- though their most recent LTD numbers place the console's sales around 45 million. Since Wiis stay on store shelves an average of fourteen seconds, this can mean only one thing: Someone, or something, has stolen five million Wiis. As usual, we blame the Nazis.

AMD ships 50 millionth 'Hollywood' graphics processing chip for Wii originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Spy Hunter movie hits oil slick, crashes, burns

Kevin Kelly — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arcade, Culture, Retro, Driving

The Spy Hunter movie based on the Midway arcade hit that we talked about more than a year ago is hitting the skids, crashing through the guardrail, and plummeting off the cliff that is called "development hell" in Hollywood. Looks like director Paul Anderson (W.S., not Thomas) is being taken off the project, which will spin it out into limbo.

You can also read Latino Review's review of the script right here. They seemed to like it, saying it was better than The Fast and the Furious 3 ... which ain't saying much. In fact, the best thing Spy Hunter has spawned as far as filmed entertainment goes is the Pontiac commercial above. If any of the game sequels had looked like that, we might still be playing them.

Now, we ask you... is this such a bad thing? Sure it had Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson attached to it, and John Woo was supposed to direct it at one point. However, it's had a slew of different writers and now with two director replacements, do we really need a Spy Hunter movie? We hope no one hits "Continue" on the Spy Hunter movie, and that it just dies a merciful death. What say you?

Rumor: Spy Hunter movie hits oil slick, crashes, burns originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 19 Aug 2008 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gears of War movie development soldiers on

Randy Nelson — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Microsoft Xbox 360

Variety reports that Legendary Films has ponied up an undisclosed chunk of change to help New Line with the continued development of its Gears of War film adaptation. As the story points out, Legendary - which also helped finance The Dark Knight - isn't known for getting involved with flicks that are in development hell.

As we've previously reported, the Gears movie is being helmed by Live Free or Die Hard director Len Wiseman and has the game's designer, Cliff Bleszinski, serving as an executive producer. The film had originally been slated for release in 2009 by New Line before the studio became a part of Warner Bros. Its parent company hasn't offered an updated release timeframe since, but the partnership with Legendary suggests that it remains serious about getting Microsoft's second best selling franchise onto the silver screen.

Gears of War movie development soldiers on originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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C-list celebrities + Gamespot party = Awkward

Alexander Sliwinski — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture

The latest episode of Glitch in the System makes it horribly obvious that the "celebrities" attending Gamespot's E3 bash had no idea who was hosting the party. That street probably goes both ways because, straight up, we had to Google almost every single one of the "celebrities" that we saw in the video. Check out the cringe-inducing footage o the red carpet interviews after the break.

PS: Thanks again to the 300+ people who attended -- or used astral projection to attend in spirit -- our Joystiq E3 meet-up. Watching something like this makes us appreciate you all even more.

Continue reading C-list celebrities + Gamespot party = Awkward

C-list celebrities + Gamespot party = Awkward originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EA inks talent agency deal, more game movies coming

Jason Dobson — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:20:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Business

In a season of Hollywood blockbusters, it's no wonder why Electronic Arts would want to sink its teeth into the movie industry's delicious celluloid pie. This morning the company announced that it signed with talent and literary agency, UTA, to help catapult its properties onto the silver screen.

EA currently has a movie deal in the works for The Sims, as well as plans to bring an animated version of MySims to TV. In addition, earlier this year EA signed a deal with Starz Media to develop an animated prequel to Dead Space, as well as other unspecified franchises. But that's just the tip of the iceberg, as EA notes that this new deal will "significantly ramp up" efforts to bring its IP to other forms of entertainment, such as movies and television, as well as online, print, and social networks. With some of these projects likely to surface this week in San Diego during Comic-Con, are there any EA properties you could see yourself sitting through with a bucket of popcorn in your lap?

EA inks talent agency deal, more game movies coming originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Producer De Luca eases our fears on MGS movie

Kyle Orland — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, Sony PlayStation 2, Sony PlayStation 3, Action

Last time we talked about the now-officially-official Metal Gear Solid movie, we were a little concerned about producer Joe De Luca's interest in somewhat unproven writer/director Kurt Wimmer. Well, now that we've read an extremely long and somewhat rambling interview with De Luca over at Collider, we're a little less worried about the movie's prospects.

In the interview, De Luca assures us that he knows the difference between what makes a good video game and a good movie. "You're immediately disadvantaged in the theatre because you're not feeling anything," he said, "you're not going to get the excitement or the adrenalin rush of doing it yourself, so we have to do it for you in a way that makes up for that."

That said, De Luca thinks the deep Metal Gear Solid universe has silver screen potential that a game-movie like Mortal Kombat just doesn't. "I think we have a leg up already in that it's such a rich universe... what it says about war by proxy in this kind of future where war has been outsourced to private companies I think can be almost very topical and also kind of satirical in like a Robocop kind of way." As far as we're concerned, you can be as topical and satirical as you want as long as the movie is also entertaining in a Robocop kind of way.

Producer De Luca eases our fears on MGS movie originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Green Mile actor Barry Pepper to voice Prototype lead

Jason Dobson — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 19:55:00 EST

Filed under: Culture, PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action

New details have emerged surrounding Prototype, Radical Entertainment's sandbox-style successor to Hulk:Ultimate Destruction, specifically concerning whose voice we'll be hearing when the shape shifting protagonist Alex Mercer flaps 'genetically mutated' lips. Mercer will be voiced by Barry Pepper, who some may recognize for his role as Officer Dean Stanton in The Green Mile, or for his arguably most memorable work as Jake in one episode of Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years.

Other voices confirmed for Prototype include NYPD Blue's Gordon Clap and CSI's Paul Guilfoyle, both of which publisher Sierra note as being appropriate additions to the cast given the game's "uniquely mysterious and conspiracy-filled plot." Prototype is expected to change shape and smash New York City later this year for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.

[Via press release]

The Green Mile actor Barry Pepper to voice Prototype lead originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 04 Feb 2008 19:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LA Times: game narratives too 'weak' for movies, Uwe Boll agrees

James Ransom-Wiley — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Culture

Los Angeles Times Magazine spent some time breaking down the rules of Hollywood, schooling would-be fortune-seekers and laying down some hard truth: "Hollywood can't win at video games." Filmmakers are advised to avoid video games as source material because games' "weak narratives" haven't transitioned to the big screen as well as comics - a sentiment echoed by Uwe Boll during a recent Fox News interview; the infamous director declares, "A lot of video games have no story." (Yeah, especially light gun games.) But even something as intricately devised as the Halo universe doesn't seem to hold much promise in the eyes of Hollywood. Halo script re-writer Josh Olson (A History of Violence) complains that video games "have aimless cycles. You go to A, shoot some monsters, then go to B, then start over and do it again." Why argue?

Historically, Hollywood has done a miserable job selecting games for film adaptation, while we've enjoyed plenty of strong narratives developed for and executed in games. We say: Why give Hollywood a chance to muck up the true gems? The game industry has nothing to prove to American cinema.

Read - LA Times (subscription required; try: bugmenot)
Watch - Uwe Boll on Fox News (warning: obnoxious)

LA Times: game narratives too 'weak' for movies, Uwe Boll agrees originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 25 Jan 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hackers get into Wii, hunt for Angelina Jolie begins

David Hinkle — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: News, Video, Homebrew

It would seem that the hacking community has finally cracked the Wii, as they've figured out a way to get code up and running on the console. It's a feat that hasn't been performed before and was accomplished after many ~~Bothans~~ people sacrificed time and energy to complete this task. See, inside of the Wii, the Hollywood chip doesn't just handle graphics, it's got a whole lot to do with authentication (you know, to make sure you've got a valid Wii or GC game disc in there). Well, these hackers have found out that upon booting up a GameCube game, this chip will turn off all of the cool Wii functionality (bluetooth, USB, etc.) and restricts the area of memory you're allowed to access. But, there isn't any kind of encryption dealing with the memory, so this is where the folks knew they should focus.

Now, the next part gets too technical for us, but just know that they found a way to get these authentication codes from the memory and trick the Wii into believing it was loading a Wii game (in this case, Lego Star Wars). This then allowed them to load their own code into the Wii. Judging by the clapping in the video, it's a pretty big deal and means that homebrew on the Wii is that much closer to being a reality.

Oh, and if you don't get the Angelina Jolie reference, head past the break.

Continue reading Hackers get into Wii, hunt for Angelina Jolie begins

Hackers get into Wii, hunt for Angelina Jolie begins originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Dec 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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