Videogames Adapted From Movies: The New Blockbusters
King Kong. Superman. The Matrix. Harry Potter. Star Wars. James Bond… hit movies almost inevitably spawn sequels, but today they are equally as likely to inspire hit videogames.
It’s not surprising. Videogames are among the fastest-growing and most profitable businesses in the entertainment world. Domestic sales of videogames and consoles in the U.S. generated $10 billion in revenue last year, compared with movie ticket sales of $9.4 billion.
Game players seem ready to gobble up titles stemming from new and classic flicks. However, sophisticated gamers are also demanding strong original storylines, great effects, catchy music and top-notch technical delivery for an exciting play experience.
“Games based on films allow fans to extend the movie-watching experience in an interactive way,” says Jason Hall, svp for Warner Bros. Interactive Ent. “With Superman Returns, the game has elements of the storyline based on the film, but it includes different tangents, action and additional villains from the DC Comics history of the superhero. After people see the film, they get to take the controls and actually fly as Superman in the game.”
Superman Returns: The Videogame is scheduled for release in summer 2006 from Electronic Arts (EA), and the Man of Steel is making his videogame appearance in conjunction with the Superman Returns movie due for release on June 30, 2006.
“With the launch of the next-generation platforms, gamers are definitely expecting better graphics, more defined characters models and 3D effects,” Hall adds. “The need for good storytelling in gaming is leading to the quest for better writers, producers and directors of games to develop games in all of the different genres. A lot of good games will combine genres. For instance, great action games could have really funny lines or a dramatic twist. Visual effects from the films are often incorporated into games by way of film footage or in-game cinematics.”
While Superman Returns convinces gamers that a man can fly, wizard-in-training Harry Potter will be providing players with the opportunity to relive moments from his newest movie. “The Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire game, which just launched, is more closely linked to the film than the previous games with the character likeness and textured environments,” Hall continues. “In this game, you play the great action sequences of the film and a lot of the story bookends the action in cinematics, so gamers are playing the most exciting parts from the film and not the parts that don’t make for compelling game play.”
In the Harry Potter game, Harry, Ron and Hermione are all playable characters, modeled after their big-screen counterparts. The game includes a spell-casting system that allows players to “feel the magic” as the controller shakes and reacts with each flick of the wand. Like many modern videogames, the Harry Potter game is designed for play on numerous platforms: Console/PC, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS and PSP.
Videogames are drawing from many different wells for that perfect movie experience. In EA’s new James Bond release, From Russia With Love, players can create their own “Bond, James Bond”— based on Sir Sean Connery as 007 — set in a 1960s Cold War era scenario, complete with classic cars, cool architecture and retro fashion. Connery, who will receive the American Film Institute’s 34th AFI Life Achievement Award on June 8, 2006, reprises his role as the dapper Mi6 agent in this console game. The game is being released on the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and the Xbox videogame system from Microsoft and is currently available. A version for the Nintendo GameCube will be released in mid-November and a PSP version of the game will be released in early 2006.
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