This week we are going to have two video game centric top 5’s. This is the first one, and you’ll have to check back tomorrow to see what the second is!
Ratchet and Clank
The idea of animated video game movies isn’t anything new. Many games, from Dante’s Inferno to Dead Space get the animated movie treatment. None thus far has been particularly great or able to make a killing at the box office. Wreck It Ralph (which wasn’t actually based on a game) broke down the barrier and showed that video game films don’t have to be Uwe Boll directed garbage. Featuring the game’s original voice cast and distributed through Sony Pictures, Ratchet and Clank has a solid chance to be the first legitimate video game adaption of the decade. I’m not sure about any of the plot details or even a solid release date, but rumors put the release sometime in the first half of this year. Keep an eye out for this one!
Hitman Agent 47
Let’s face it, the first Hitman film, while not awful, was nothing special. Certainly not special in the way the video games are. While I’m not holding my breath that this will be some oscar award worthy film, I think Agent 47 has a stronger grasp of what the games were all about. First and foremost, this film needs to be intense to succeed. Based on the first trailer, I think Agent 47 could top its predecessor. I’m still skeptical, as I am with most video game adaptions, but with a solid lead and supporting cast I think it’s worth keeping on the radar.
Assassin’s Creed
Of all the films on this list, this one has the single strongest chance of succeeding. Not only as a money maker, but from a critical standpoint as well. The film just went into production this month and features acting powerhouses Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class, 12 Years a Slave) and Marion Cotillard (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises). Both of these actors are amongst the best working right now, and if they signed on you know it’s for a good reason. My only real stipulation comes from the amount of rewrites this film has gone through, but I’m taking that as a sign they weren’t satisfied until recently. Video games need a film that will break them into the mainstream, the way X-Men somewhat recently brought comic book adaptions into mainstream view. My money is on Assassin’s Creed, and we will see if I will eat those words when it releases next year.
Warcraft
Now, of all the films that have a chance of bombing, Warcraft is the frontrunner. It isn’t that I don’t have faith in director Duncan Jones (Moon, Source Code), or the awesome cast which includes Ben Foster, Travis Fimmel and Dominic Cooper. No, the thing that makes me weary is just the very idea of trying to adapt something as gargantuan as Warcraft into a satisfying hollywood blockbuster. Given Blizzard’s involvement and Legendary Pictures’ generally good track record, I’m hoping and praying this gets the screen treatment it deserves. If it winds up being another In the Name of the King, I think I might cry.
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
Okay. I’m not going to sit here and try to pretend like I think Resident Evil has been a pinnacle of brilliant science fiction/horror filmmaking. It’s not. In sheer entertainment value, though, I do have a certain soft spot for the films’ goofy disregard for redeemable qualities. The action and effects are generally the central focus, and even those don’t always shine. I’m hoping against hope that The Final Chapter winds up capping the series on a high note. As long as it isn’t as bad as Resident Evil Apocalypse, I’ll be satisfied. It’s supposedly filming this year according to Milla Jovovich’s Facebook page. I’m sure updates will be coming out in the next few months.
Hopefully, at least one of these 5 films catches your attention. If not, several other films I didn’t list are coming down the pipe, each of which looks hit or miss. Keep your eyes and ears open, one of these may be the film that catapults video game adaptions into the public mindset. Come back tomorrow for another article involving video games!