Status Report: The Game-To-Movie Slate

[_____V_____]

(from IGN)

The status-check on all videogame-to-movie adaptations on the burners right now...


American McGee's Alice
Status: In Development

American McGee's Alice was an instant hit when it debuted on the PC back in 2000. The gaming title has long since lost its luster, but the concept is still ripe for film adaptation. Sarah Michelle Gellar is attached to star and Texas Chainsaw helmer Marcus Nispel is directing. As in the game, the film will be a gothic-horror version of Alice in Wonderland that takes place after Alice has been committed to a mental institution. Scribes Jon and Erich Hoeber penned the script; the project is based at Collision Entertainment with Universal Pictures distributing. A spokesperson at Universal confirmed that the movie is still in development and cautioned that everything is subject to change. It is not, as has been reported elsewhere, already in production.


American McGee's Oz
Status: Unknown

Alice creator American McGee has also plotted a twisted version of L. Frank Baum's fabled Land of Oz.The game itself was canceled after publishers balked at the pitch, worrying that it was not an established franchise. McGee then decided to build the franchise from the top down -- developing the characters and a movie pitch first. Jerry Bruckheimer and Walt Disney Pictures have obtained the rights -- a trilogy was once rumored -- but the project appears to be stalled in development. Screenwriters Kevin and Dan Hageman were once attached.


Area 51
Status: Unknown

Paramount Pictures optioned the movie rights to Midway Games' sci-fi themed first-person shooter, Area 51, several years ago. Producer Christine Peters was handling the project, collaborating with the game developer to craft the film, billed as an action-packed thriller. Area 51 is set in the mysterious top-secret facility located in the Nevada desert. Specialist Ethan Cole (voiced by David Duchovny) has been sent to investigate a viral outbreak that has just shut down the research facility, automatically locking all personnel inside under quarantine. He soon realizes that the conspiracy theories and alien autopsies the world has speculated about are far worse than anyone could've imagined. The game also features the voices of Powers Boothe as Major Bridges and Marilyn Manson (appropriately enough) as Edgar, the gray alien. The creatures in the game were designed by Stan Winston Studios. As you can see it's a ripe property for feature film development, but now that the game has aged, we'll presume this one has been put out to pasture unless otherwise notified.


Bioshock
Status: In Development

With its heady undertones of Objectivism, Bioshock may be the closest Hollywood ever gets to turning out a film version of Atlas Shrugged. But with genetically modified goons and lumbering monsters in diving suits livening things up, viewers won't have to worry about falling asleep during the characters' long sermons.

Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy) has been attached to the Bioshock movie since shortly after the first game's release in 2007. Verbinski even went so far as to drop out of the upcoming fourth Pirates film to concentrate on Bioshock. However, his commitment to Rango with Johnny Depp has forced Verbinski to fall back into a producer role. Reportedly, 28 Weeks Later director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo will be replacing him.

With the sequel finally hitting early next year, hype for a Bioshock movie will only grow in the coming months. Hopefully that hype will help put the film on the fast track.


Call of Duty
Status: Trademarked

Call of Duty is one of the most recent names to be thrown into the Hollywood hat, but already the notion of a big-screen version of these games has gamers salivating. Last month Activision filed a trademark for a Call of Duty movie. Robert Bowling of Infinity Ward hinted on Twitter that talks have already begun with Hollywood studios.

Nothing else is known at this stage. It's believed that a Call of Duty film would more likely focus on the Modern Warfare games rather than those set during WWII, but we won't know for sure until further announcements are made.


Castlevania
Status: In Development

Like the vampire lord Dracula himself, the Castlevania movie keeps vanishing into the mist and rising from the dead. Paul W.S. Anderson (Resident Evil, Mortal Kombat) has been attached to the Castlevania movie for many years now. Last time Anderson spoke with us in 2008, he indicated the looming SAG strike had put the project on indefinite hold.

But things are looking up for Castlevania again. At SDCC this summer, James Wan (Saw) revealed that he is now attached to direct the film and co-produce with Anderson. Wan admitted that he was in the early stages of development, so we're not really expecting to hear much for a while. But assuming no more industry strikes arise in the near future, Castlevania may finally be headed to Hollywood.


Citizen Siege (Oddworld Movie)
Status: In Development

Oddworld creators Lorne Lanning and Sherry McKenna are bringing their best-selling videogame property to the big screen in Citizen Siege, a CG-animated film that will be set in the Oddworld universe. The movie will be set in a frightening near future where democracy has all but disintegrated under the rule of global corporatism. Lanning is making his directorial debut with the project and McKenna is producing. The pair have hinted that there may also be a new game that will parallel the film's action.


Clock Tower
Status: In Development

Based on the popular Capcom videogame, Clock Tower tells what happens when an Ivy League-bound high school girl gets a call from the birth mother she doesn't remember. Seeking out her childhood home, the girl and her sister confront a timeless horror in the form of an entity known as Scissor Man. The script is penned by Jake Wade Wall (When a Stranger Calls), and Jorge Olguin (Sangre Eterna) is set to direct. Clock Tower is being produced by Mayhem Project who confirm that the picture is very much in development, but could offer no further details.


Crazy Taxi
Status: Dormant

Crazy Taxi was an arcade hit in the late 1990s that later made its way to console systems. The movie rights to the series were originally picked up by producer-director Richard Donner (Superman, Lethal Weapon) in July 2001. However, those rights lapsed and the property was acquired by Mindfire Entertainment. Mindfire's Mark Altman went on record saying he wants to make the film a "fun, PG-rated comedy that blends the action and car crashes of The Fast and the Furious with the drama of HBO's Taxicab Confessions and the comedy of Rat Race." All that sounds fine to us, but a significant amount of time has passed without any movement on the project. The videogame franchise and movie idea seem to have turned cold.


Darkwatch: Curse of the West
Status: Unknown

Morgan and Wong, the writers/directors/producers behind Final Destination, have been linked to a movie version of Sammy Studios' sci-fi Western shooter, Darkwatch: Curse of the West. The game follows unlucky cowboy Jericho Cross, a train robber who spots an unusual target racing down the tracks under the light of the full moon. He decides to pillage it as his final score before retiring. Jericho is shocked to discover that the unusually designed train is packed with rotting bodies with a humanoid-like appearance that he doesn't recognize. Cross soon finds himself in a battle for his life against a horde of vampires and other supernatural creatures. Morgan and Wong have developed a pitch based on the game's plot and action sequences and are currently writing a screenplay. Will it fly now that the excitement surrounding the game's release has faded? Answer unclear, ask again later.


Dead Space
Status: In Development

Survival horror gem Dead Space is quickly expanding to become a true franchise. New games have already been released, as well as comic book and anime tie-ins. But now it appears a Dead Space movie may help expand the franchise even further. DJ Caruso (Disturbia) is currently attached as director for the Dead Space movie. Caruso had previously been attached to the film version of the comic series Y: the Last Man, but recent word suggests he's no longer involved. Assuming Caruso does move forward with Dead Space, the burning question is whether his frequent star Shia LaBeouf will join him and play the reluctant construction worker-turned monster slayer Isaac Clarke.


Death Jr.
Status: Optioned

Videogame developer Backbone Entertainment has hooked up with production-management company Circle of Confusion to develop a film and comic book version of their PSP game, Death, Jr. The game centers on a teenager who just wants to be normal, but finds it hard because he's the son of the Grim Reaper. Other characters include Death, Jr.'s middle-school buddies Pandora, who constantly feels the need to open boxes, and Stigmartha, whose hands bleed when she gets nervous. Larry Guterman (Son of the Mask, Cats and Dogs) has been attached to the project and could produce through his Orange Grove Entertainment shingle. A videogame sequel to Death, Jr. was released several years ago. The film is not listed on Circle of Confusions current slate, but if more games are made, a movie could become more likely.


(Contd.)

[_____V_____]

Deus Ex
Status: Dormant

It's been a long time since we've picked up any blips about Deus Ex on our radar. There hasn't been a new game in the series in a while, and the last time we heard anything about a movie version was 2003. At last report, Deus Ex was being produced by Laura Ziskin for Columbia Pictures. Greg Pruss had penned a script that painted the character of J.C. Denton in a somewhat darker light. He told IGN that he would be "a little bit filthier than he was in the game." Eidos' vice president of marketing, Paul Baldwin, was quoted as saying, "We are excited to continue our success of extending our original IP to film. Tomb Raider was highly successful, as will be Deus Ex..." The story would follow the Denton character, an agent of the United Nations Anti-Terrorist Coalition, facing a world of terrorism, treason and techno-conspiracy. Might it still happen? Sure, but at present, all signs point to no.


Devil May Cry
Status: Optioned

Tokyo-based film distributor Gaga Communications has signed a deal with Capcom to adapt Devil May Cry into a live-action feature film with a budget of around $40 million. The film's story could center on the game's central character, Dante, a maverick bounty hunter who takes on jobs involving devils and other dark creatures. When the movie deal was originally announced, Devil May Cry was slated for a 2005 production start... obviously, that's come and gone and there's been no further activity. Not a good sign, but you never know. The videogame franchise seems to be going strong, with Devil May Cry 4 having hit consoles last year. We'll be watching to see what happens.


Doom 2
Status: Unknown

The first Doom movie didn't particularly strike chord with fans of the series or casual audiences. Despite that, there have been vague rumblings of a sequel for several years now. Universal still holds the rights to the franchise. id Software CEO Todd Hollenshead suggested that a Doom sequel might be based on the events of the upcoming Doom 4 game. That remains to be seen, but until Doom 4 hits shelves Universal will probably be keeping the Doom movies on the back burner.


Driver
Status: In Development

Rogue Pictures has acquired the movie rights to Driver, Oscar-winning writer-director Roger Avary's big-screen adaptation of the Atari videogame. Rogue picked up Driver from Constantin Film and Impact Pictures, the forces behind the Resident Evil movies. Avary, who wrote Silent Hill, is penning the script and may direct. Previous iterations of the screenplay were written by James DeMonaco, Todd Harthan and James Roday. Driver centers on a getaway driver for hire, the best in the heist biz, who is put to the test on a job.


Duke Nukem
Status: Dormant

Hail to the king, baby! It could've been cool back in the day, but this long-rumored project is well past its prime. However, Threshold Entertainment still has the movie rights to Duke Nukem. They had even setup an official website for the flick at one time -- it's now down. The studio had hooked up with Dimension Films and was planning, as of late 2001, to turn the property into a PG-13 film set in outer space... but that was ages ago, and we're guessing that the Duke movie is as dead as Duke Nukem Forever. R.I.P.


Eternal Darkness
Status: Unknown

The rights to a big-screen or small-screen adaptation of Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem were bought by production company Hypnotic back in 2003. The game follows the unlucky paths of 12 humans chosen to defend the planet against an ancient race of evil foes. The title's story spans 2,000 years and takes players through historically accurate locations, deals with dark themes such as "magick" and murder, and more. The game's unique "sanity" system, which measures a character's sanity level and causes him or her to hallucinate when it dips below a certain level, remains one of the spookiest, most clever additions in software today.


Fallout
Status: Possibly In Development

The Fallout franchise was always a cult favorite among PC gamers, but Fallout became a household name last year when Fallout 3 landed on both the PC and major consoles. The series features the ever-popular post-apocalyptic setting that could easily be translated to film. And now it appears that developer Bethesda hopes to do just that. Last April Bethesda filed a patent that covers the brand for both television and film.

That's a long way from actual development, but it is a hopeful sign for fans. We just hope studios will bite, and that the ongoing legal trouble between Bethesda and Interplay won't put a damper on a Fallout movie.


Fatal Frame
Status: Dormant

DreamWorks had hired a pair of scribes to adapt Tecmo's survival-horror game for the big screen, but we're fairly certain this one is on ice. John Rogers, screenwriter of The Core, was producing the flick which would have followed Miku, a girl searching for her brother -- a reporter who goes missing while working on a story about a haunted mansion where three grisly murders took place. Miku is armed only with a Polaroid camera. To stop the evil spirits she must photograph them, exposing them to a bright flash of light and capturing them inside the camera. Steven Spielberg was said to be personally involved in shepherding the project, but DreamWorks is a different kind of animal now, and he's got bigger fish to fry these days.


Fear Effect
Status: Unknown

Here's what we said back in 2007:

"The movie version of Eidos' Fear Effect appears close to getting underway. 'The film should begin production later this year,' Mark A. Altman, one of the producers, tells IGN. 'We just got in a new draft of the script that we're very happy with and we think this is a terrific franchise and we're looking at some big stars for our leads: Royce Glas, Deke, Rain and Hana. What I love about the film is that it starts off a thriller, almost an espionage film, and becomes something else -- something much more dark and scary. Sort of The Dirty Dozen Meets Silent Hill,' Altman said. Mindfire Entertainment is shooting the flick later this year. A 2008 release is possible."

Clearly that 2008 release never happened. Momentum on Fear Effect appears to have halted, and given the series ten-year absence from the gaming industry, we're not ready to assume it'll be picking back up.


Gears of War
Status: In Development

Shooters seem to have a better track record than most gaming genres when it comes to making it to Hollywood. Gears of War is one of several such projects in development at the moment. At one point The Rock was expected to star as one of Gears' hyper-muscled action heroes, but that rumor seems to have been shot down.

After slowing in the wake of the writer's strike last year, Gears looks to be moving forward again. Len Wiseman (Live Free or Die Hard) is attached to direct and Chris Morgan (Wanted) has turned in a script. Recently we learned that screenwriter Billy Ray has also been brought in, most likely to rewrite Morgan's earlier draft.

Gears could easily see the light of day in the next few years, but at the moment it's too early to say whether New Line will put the film on the fast track or relegate it to the back burner.


The Getaway
Status: Unknown

Back in 2003, Sony Screen Gems picked up the film rights to the popular PS2 game, The Getaway. The story centers on Mark Hammond and Frank Carter, two men on opposite sides of the law who are both out to bring down London's legendary crime boss Charlie Jolson. Those who have played the game will know that it is practically a movie already. This project has been silent for a while, though, and a Screen Gems rep told IGN that they were unaware of the project. But there is a third installment in the game series scheduled for release on the PlayStation 3. That could heat things up again.


God of War
Status: In Development

Given that the God of War franchise is already like a big-budget action series, it's no surprise that a film adaptation is gathering momentum. Last year Brett Ratner (X-Men: The Last Stand, Rush Hour) confirmed he's involved with the project and is waiting for a script to be green-lit by Universal before moving forward.

And recent word suggests that a potential script may already exist. David Self (Road to Perdition) has written a draft that follows the events of the first God of War very closely. However, as we reported back in July, there may be a few key changes to the plot that could upset fans of lead hero Kratos. We'll see if these changes survive into the final script and if Ratner himself remains attached as Universal moves forward with the movie.


Grand Theft Auto
Status: Unknown

Grand Theft Auto is a franchise we would have assumed studios would be leaping at the chance to adapt to film. The games have become increasingly cinematic over the years and already feature a number of popular Hollywood actors in voice roles. However, despite vague rumblings over the years, there are currently no plans to produce a GTA film. Perhaps the graphic content of the games and the movie's guaranteed R-rating are a turnoff to many studios.

[_____V_____]

Half-Life
Status: Dormant

Developers Valve Software have shopped the movie rights to Half-Life around Hollywood, but we're not aware of any serious bites. The acclaimed shooter, first released for the PC in the late '90s, follows a scientist named Gordan Freeman who works in an underground military research facility. When a dangerous experiment goes terrifyingly wrong, a dimensional rift is opened and ghoulish monsters are released into the Earthly realm. Freeman must fight his way back to the surface, destroying the deadly creatures and going up against a military clean-up crew that is unconcerned with his rescue. The story has continued in a number of sequels. Half-Life: Episode 3 is currently in development, and when that finally hits the PC we imagine interest in a movie will grow.


Halo
Status: In Development

For years a Halo movie has come tantalizingly close to production before dropping out of the limelight again. Despite the franchise immense popularity and rumored involvement of both Peter Jackson and Stephen Spielberg, the film can't seem to find solid footing.

Director Neil Blomkamp (District 9) actually filmed a short, live-action Halo movie in conjunction with the release of Halo 3. His name has frequently been attached to the feature film along with Jackson as producer. However, he recently indicated that his involvement may be over. Another recent rumor suggesting Spielberg might himself direct a Halo movie were shot down by Microsoft, who said they're choosing to concentrate on Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach for the time being.

The film has seen several script treatments so far, but it remains to be seen if any of the previous producers and screenwriters attached to the project will remain on the inevitable day a Halo movie does go forward.


Hunter: The Reckoning
Status: Unknown

Hunter: The Reckoning is actually based on a pen-and-paper role-playing game from White Wolf that was later turned into a videogame by Vivendi Universal Games. The story traces a group of humans who hunt down monsters... ripe enough for us. Vivendi Universal made a deal, not with the devil, but with director Uwe Boll to bring the property to the big screen. That said... Boll is not listing the project on his personal development slate, but it may yet get rolling.


Kane & Lynch
Status: Pre-production

The Kane and Lynch movie seems to be moving right along, which is a nice change from the usual troubled development phase. Hitman producer Adrian Askarieh is attached to the film. Bruce Willis is slated to star as Kane. His partner Lynch is still up for grabs, though Billy Bob Thornton is often rumored for the role. Willis reportedly loved the script, which gives us hope for the final product.

Former stunt coordinator Simon Crane will be directing the movie with filming expected to start in March 2010. Assuming nothing goes wrong, we could be watching a Kane and Lynch movie in late 2010 or early 2011.


Mass Effect
Status: Optioned

Though the mainstream press only recognizes Mass Effect for its supposedly controversial sex scenes, gamers love Mass Effect for its cinematic production values and strong storyline and characters. Those hoping that Mass Effect might unfold on screen as a 21st Century Star Wars have a little more reason to be excited these days. Avi Arad, former CEO of Marvel Studios, has optioned the rights for Mass Effect. Arad is also currently developing the anime/manga series Ghost in the Shell as a live-action film. There's no telling which of these projects will be green-lit first, if at all, but we can certainly hope.


Mechwarrior
Status: In Development

If there's one thing lacking Hollywood action movies these days, it's satisfying mech combat. Leave it to an unknown film like District 9 to finally end the drought. Gamers may be able to look forward to more Hollywood mech battles in the future as well. The Mechwarrior series, though long dormant in Hollywood, recently received a shot in the arm thanks to Michael Eisner's Tornate Production Company.

Following the commercial success of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, screenwriter Michael Gordon has been brought on board to pen a script. The developing film may go hand in hand with a relaunch of the game series, which itself has been out of the limelight for a while.


Metal Gear Solid
Status: In Development

Sony Pictures holds the rights to Metal Gear Solid, which has been one of the most lucrative franchises for Sony's games division. Recent reports all seem to suggest that the official title of the project is Metal Gear Solid, not simply Metal Gear, suggesting the film will focus on the more modern exploits of super-spy Solid Snake.

Last year, it was reported that Kurt Wimmer (Equilibrium, Ultraviolet) was slated to helm the movie. Ironically, Snake's voice actor, David Hayter, is also an accomplished screenwriter, having penned the first two X-Men movies and The Scorpion King. Hayter actually drafted a treatment for a potential film last year, though last we word series creator Hideo Kojima shot it down.

Given the continued strength of the franchise and Kojima's personal involvement in development of the film, we imagine the project will eventually move into production. However, there may be a bit of a wait ahead of us.


Metroid
Status: Dormant

Few studios have even attempted to bring Nintendo's iconic lineup of characters to Hollywood. We imagine the Super Mario Bros. movie taught everyone a very important lesson. Metroid and its bounty-hunting heroine Samus Aran are arguably the most well-suited for film, and Metroid is the lone Nintendo project that seems to have made any headway in Hollywood.

However, even Samus may have given up hopes of big screen stardom. The last major Metroid announcement we heard was that John Woo (Mission Impossible 2) was attached to direct – in 2004. It's probably safe to assume that isn't happening anymore. For now, fans will have to stick to their consoles for future Metroid adventures.


Nightmare Creatures
Status: Unknown

This project was announced all the way back in Y2K, but it never really got off the ground. The guy who directed Disney's Dinosaur was attached, but it doesn't look like things are going to move forward. The planned story for the film centered on brilliant master surgeon Adam Crowley who is shunned by his medical contemporaries for his gruesomely unorthodox experiments. In seclusion, Crowley learns to regenerate his own failing body and creates a hellish brood of monsters who invade London. But his plan to scientifically alter the course of evolution is threatened by his most perfect creation.


Onimusha
Status: Optioned

The movie rights to Capcom's Onimusha are currently optioned by Davis Entertainment where Chairman John Davis is producing. Davis produced Eragon and the Alien vs. Predator sequel. Noboru Sugimura, who has penned the script for the Onimusha games, among others, is taking a stab at the screenplay. Right now the film isn't in development, but if it were to happen we wouldn't likely see it in theaters until sometime in the next decade.


Pac-Man
Status: Optioned

Crystal Sky Entertainment and Japanese distributor Gaga have gobbled up the movie rights to the videogame that started it all, Pac-Man. The studio plans to turn the classic arcade franchise into a "live-action fantasy adventure." Just how they'll do that is yet to be seen. No writer or director is attached to the project at this time. Unfortunately, there's been little to no activity on this one since it was first announced, but it could come to life at any time. We can't even imagine how anyone could pull this off, but we'd love to see it.


Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Status: Post-production

Last time we visited Prince of Persia in this feature, Jerry Bruckheimer had involved himself with the project and things were looking rosy for the heroic prince. Several years later, Prince of Persia has proven to be one of those rare exceptions that doesn't peter out midway through development. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is currently slated for release on May 28, 2010.

The film is being distributed by Disney, who hope that the franchise can draw in the same numbers as the Pirates of the Caribbean films. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Prince Dastan, and Gemma Artenton plays his female companion, Princess Tamina. Ben Kingsley fills the role of antagonist. As the movie's subtitle suggests, the film is based on the events of the like-titled videogame.

If Sands of Time is as successful as Disney hopes, we can probably expect a string of sequels in the coming years. It should be interesting to see if those sequels follow the course of the games or set out on their own.


Psi-Ops
Status: Dormant

Producers Adrian Askarieh and Chuck Gordon picked up the movie rights to Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy back in August 2004, but Askarieh tells us that the project is no longer active. The Midway game follows a gifted Psi-Operative who infiltrates a dangerous terrorist group by having his memory erased and allowing himself to be captured. As his memory slowly returns, he recalls his unique abilities and uses them to thwart the group's deadly plans. The producers had hoped to tie the film's release into the game's sequel, but it seems that plans for the game and the film were shelved after the title's limited success in the market.

[_____V_____]

Rainbow Six
Status: Dormant

Tom Clancy's gaming franchises don't seem to have much luck in Hollywood. Rainbow Six joins Splinter Cell as a film that hasn't seen any significant news or buzz in years. The games feature a small counter-terrorist unit led by CIA agent John Clark. Zack Snyder was slated to write and direct Rainbow Six back in 2005, but has since moved on to helm 300 and Watchmen instead. No word has surfaced since 2006, when Paramount put the film in turnaround, so we have no reason to believe a Rainbow Six movie will become a reality anytime soon.


Resident Evil: Afterlife
Status: Filming

Amid all the troubled productions and false starts when it comes to videogame movies, at least gamers can always count on the Resident Evil franchise to persevere. The fourth entry in the film series has geared up and began filming at the end of September.

Paul W.S. Anderson ,who directed the first RE film, is back in the director's chair. Also back are Milla Jovovich as Alice and Ali Larter as Claire Redfield. Prison Break fans will be happy to know that Wentworth Miller has joined the cast. He'll be playing Chris Redfield.

So far no specific release date has been given, though Fall 2010 is likely. After that, Screen Gems will reportedly reboot the franchise and focus on making the films closer to the tone and setting of the games.


Return to Castle Wolfenstein
Status: Unknown

Columbia Pictures has the movie rights to Return to Castle Wolfenstein. The film, if it happens, will follow a highly decorated Army Ranger who is recruited into the Office of Secret Actions and tasked with escaping and then returning to Castle Wolfenstein in an attempt to thwart occult and genetic experiments being conducted there by Nazis. At last report, Rich Wilkes (xXx), was drafting the screenplay for the game-to-film adaptation. That was years ago, however, and we're no longer sure if Return to Castle Wolfenstein is still in development. The most recent sequel failed to make a splash with gamers, so we're not getting our hopes up.


Shadow of the Colossus
Status: In Development

Shadow of the Colossus is one of the more recent games to be plucked by Hollywood. The PS2 game was one of the most artfully produced and emotional titles of the previous console generation, leaving many to worry an adaptation would do it a disservice. Sony Pictures clearly feel Shadow is a viable project, as they announced their intention to spearhead a film this past April. Unfortunately, with the producer of The Scorpion King and the writer of Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li on board, fans may want to hope this project stalls. With no word since April, we'll be watching to see what becomes of Shadow of the Colossus in the future.


Shattered Union
Status: In Development

Though busy with Prince of Persia, Jerry Bruckheimer is already developing another gaming franchise for Disney. Shattered Union is a PC strategy game that depicts a US torn by civil and nuclear war. Gamers are able to control either one of several US factions or a group of European peace-keepers. It's unclear just which side the film might focus on.

A few weeks ago, we learned that J. Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5, Changeling) has been brought in to craft a script. We're keen to see if Disney puts as much muscle behind this film as it did Prince of Persia. It has a far darker premise, but if done properly older viewers might turn out in droves despite the game's lack of mainstream recognition.


Silent Hill 2
Status: In Development

The first Silent Hill was one of the more faithful videogame adaptations we've seen, so we were interested about the promised sequel. It was believed Silent Hill 2 would enter production in 2007, but the film eventually lost director Christopher Gans and, consequently, writer Roger Avary.

However, Avary recently returned to the project alongside new producer Samuel Hadida. The duo were hopeful production might begin in 2010. However, the fact that the sequel still lacks a director and that Avary was recently sentenced to a year in prison for vehicular manslaughter have put a damper on the project.

Whether Avary continues his work in prison or the film is put on hold, we hope to see the sequel move forward. As of yet there is no word on whether the plot will connect to the events of the first movie or feature an entirely new cast of characters.


Soul Calibur
Status: Dormant

Namco's popular fighting game, Soul Calibur, was optioned by producer Warren Zide (American Pie, Final Destination) back in 2004. The story he was developing is said to have revolved around two warriors who are chosen by Shaolin monks to recover and destroy a powerful sword, Soul Edge, that has fallen into the hands of an evil prince who plans to use it to open the gates of hell and destroy the world. However, Zide now tells IGN that he is no longer involved in the project. Since then, we've heard little surrounding this now-dormant project.


Splinter Cell
Status: Dormant

The Splinter Cell movie is perhaps doing too good a job of imitating its lead hero, Sam Fisher. Like the stealthy secret agent, no one has heard buzz on a Splinter Cell movie for several years now. The last report we heard in 2005 came from the website Latino Review, which posted a review of a then-current Splinter Cell script by writer Stuart Beattie. The script saw Fisher travel the globe and dealt heavily with the relationship between Fisher and his daughter. At the time it appeared that Daniel Pyne was also being brought in to rewrite the script, though nothing came from that announcement.

No news is probably bad news in this case. The game franchise has lost some of its luster since thanks to the lackluster Splinter Cell: Double Agent. But assuming the upcoming Splinter Cell: Conviction redeems Fisher in the eyes of gamers, the film may be plucked from obscurity once more.


Spy Hunter
Status: Unknown

Spy Hunter has been attached to a number of writers and directors over the years. The film was formerly slated to star The Rock with John Woo directing. Midway Games even released a game called Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run featuring The Rock's likeness that was meant to tie into the film. In 2007, Paul W.S. Anderson became attached to the project, with no word as to whether The Rock would stick around. Given the lack of more recent word and Anderson's rather hefty plate of videogame films, we're willing to bet Spy Hunter is dead in the water.


The Suffering
Status: In Development

MTV Films and effects guru Stan Winston have joined forces to bring Midway Games' popular action-horror property The Suffering to the big screen. The flick will be based on the original Suffering title, which dropped back in April 2004 and its sequel -- The Suffering: Ties that Bind -- released in 2005. In The Suffering, the player controls a prisoner named Torque, a death row inmate convicted for a murder he may or may not have actually committed. The Suffering: Ties That Bind allows players to dig deeper into Torque's perverse world to discover his past and struggle to control his future. Midway's Surreal Software developed both titles. Watch IGN for further updates.


Tomb Raider III
Status: Rumored

Might Lara Croft return to the big screen? A third installment in the Tomb Raider franchise is rumored, and Angelina Jolie may even return as the film's busty heroine. When we last published this article, Ian Livingstone, head of game developer Eidos said, "There's a possibility -- we've been talking to Paramount, who've agreed to assign a scriptwriter. That's nowhere near the green-light process but it's a very healthy start to have a scriptwriter which they're going to pay serious amounts of money to write the first script." Since then, the only real news surrounding the project is that Megan Fox shot down rumors she might play Ms. Croft. But that doesn't mean the movie won't still see the light of day at some point.


Warcraft
Status: In Development

Fantasy movies are still in vogue thanks to Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. Given the crushing dominance the Warcraft franchise exerts over the PC gaming market, it's no wonder Legendary Pictures is keen on bringing Warcraft to the big screen. The project is often referred to as World of Warcraft, suggesting the movie will be taking many cues from the online game.

Perhaps the most promising piece of news surrounding the film is that Sam Raimi (Spider-Man, Evil Dead) will be directing. Raimi is currently paired with screenwriter Robert Rodat (Saving Private Ryan). Raimi has indicated the movie's script features an original story that may or may not involve any of the central characters from the games.

Raimi is currently busy with Spider-Man 4, which will hit theaters in May 2011. With any luck, Warcraft will be next on his agenda after that.