Avi Arad to Produce Mass Effect Movie?
Yet another blockbuster video game franchise is on the way to becoming a blockbuster movie franchise. According to Variety, the Bioware action-RPG Mass Effect has been optioned for the big screen by former Marvel Studios CEO Avi Arad. Arad has had a hand in plenty of comic book movies over the past few years, but now he seems eager to get into video game movies as well (he is also a producer on the upcoming Lost Planet movie).
I haven’t played much of Mass Effect personally, but I know that Bioware’s stories are highly-regarded in the industry and I really like the overall look of the game. It’s a sci-fi adventure that takes place in the year 2183 AD, with humans having uncovered the technology of a long-extinct race called the Protheans, which leads to the proliferation of interstellar space travel. I’d say this is another project that has the potential to break the streak of terrible video game adaptations, but who knows if it will actually happen. Lately it seems like people are optioning games just as a future investment, without seriously contemplating how to turn them into a proper movie. Anyone out there played Mass Effect? Would it make for a decent film?
Comments (7)
Phenomenal game… but it wouldn’t translate without a huge budget that I can’t see get forked over for something with so little of a following (relative to games like Halo).
The game plays out like a movie though and the story is all there. Most sci-fi nerds that would want to see this are gamers anyway and millions have already played this.
I don’t see this going anywhere. If they can’t get a Halo movie off the ground, they won’t get a Mass Effect game off the ground.
Posted by Jonathan on September 19th, 2008I had high hopes for Mass Effect before it came out, but after having played it for only an hour, I couldn’t really get into it. I hadn’t played the KOTOR games so my expectations, that it would be more action oriented and not as much RPG, weren’t very realistic. But I have to say that the interactive cutscenes, the story, and the look of the game were superb. It’s just that I didn’t like the gameplay.
Posted by Matt on September 19th, 2008But that’s why it could potentially make a terrific movie. If the source material is treated with respect and a high enough budget is provided. No Paul WS Anderson or Uwe Boll type of shit.
I was tempted to buy Mass Effect the other day, but like with Grand Theft Auto IV….does it need internet hookup? I don’t feel like spending a $100.00 on the wireless attachment.
Posted by Baychuk on September 19th, 2008Played it but lost interest after the first couple of hours (as I have gotten older I can’t handle really long RPGs). The thing is making a movie of this (like making one of Battlestar Galactica or The Walking Dead comic) kinda defeats the point: the game is like a movie but it isn’t over in two hours.
I think when you said you “like the overall look of the game” you mean’t graphics right? Because yeah they are phenomenal but the design is just solid but generic to me. Plus you customize your own character so there is no attraction of seeing the lead on the big screen.
Basically, I think there are way better games for adaptation out there that would draw much larger audiences. The point of adapting Lost Planet is especially lost to me.
Halo! Metroid! Metal Gear! Grand Theft Auto! I’d even take a Resident Evil reboot (that term is already getting sickening). Where are all these movies at? (Especially Metal Gear…that game has been in some development circle of Hell for like a decade now.)
Posted by Ryan M. on September 19th, 2008Was this game successful enough to warrant a film? Will it even do good?
The game seemed cool, but that’s all that I heard about it.
Posted by Jon Rocks on September 19th, 2008Some games are just meant to be experienced through game play. However, there are some games that are deep enough to possibly transfer to the big screen for the non gamers. I think that is the goal…to make “them” understand the fuss.
Then again….can movies that turn into video games succeed? I can’t think of one although the Star Wars idea seems to be the most popular for good reason. The worst adaptation ever? E.T. for NES.
Posted by Baychuk on September 20th, 2008Mass Effect is one of the best games ever in my opinion. The graphics, the story, the characters are all great.
I think this should be made into a movie. I think it has so much potential but it should be a female Shepherd or it just wouldn’t seem right. I’d love to see how they do the alien races, I guess they’d be CGI.
I’d really like to see this as a movie, Shepherd kicking Geth ass and bringing down Saren.
Yeah I think this would be a great movie.
Posted by Yeah on December 3rd, 2008Leave a Reply