Don’t be surprised if the films in this category make it to theaters, but their future is far from certain at this point. Despite interest from major studios and/or Hollywood talent, you should probably consider their odds of getting made about even right now.
Asteroids (2014)
Universal Pictures picked up the rights to make a film based on the classic arcade game Asteroids back in July 2009. There hasn’t been much movement on the project since, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura (RED 2) insists that it is indeed in development, and it recently received a rewrite from Man of Steel screenwriter David Goyer. The film was originally offered toIndependence Day director Roland Emmerich, but he backed out in 2012.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
In July 2012, Eidos Montreal and CBS Films confirmed a Deus Ex: Human Revolution movie was in development. A few months later, Sinister filmmaker Scott Derrickson was named as the director of Deus Ex, with Derrickson and his co-writer on Sinister, C. Robert Cargill, penning the film’s script. There’s no release date yet for the film.
A film version of the PlayStation 3 exclusive game is being developed, and it will be distributed by Screen Gems. The film will be produced by Sam Raimi’s Ghost Light Productions, and be written by Neil Druckmann, the writer and creative director of the game. No word yet on exactly what the story will focus on, but with Druckmann writing, there is a good chance that it will follow the general plot of the game. The Last of Us is set 20 years after a mutated spore turns most of the population into creatures, and a worn out man must escort a young girl that potentially hold the key to the future across a ruined America.
Rabbids
Ubisoft’s kid-friendly Raving Rabbids franchise is also getting the big-screen treatment, but unlike the rest of the studio’s offerings, the Rabbids movie will be a decidedly family-friendly project. Reports suggest that the Rabbids movie will be a predominantly live-action film with computer-generated versions of the game’s rabbit-like “rabbids” – similar to the style of the recent Smurfs movies.
GK Films acquired the film rights to the Tomb Raider franchise in 2011, and announced a partnership with MGM earlier this year to produce a new movie featuring iconic adventurer Lara Croft, with development beginning immediately. In June, MGM announced that Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum Marti Noxon, who also penned scripts for the recent Fright Night remake and I Am Number Four, will also work on the Tomb Raider script.
Uncharted
We actually upgraded this film from “Sort of Alive” to “Decent Chance of Getting Made,” primarily because Sony refuses to give on it. Director David O. Russell (The Fighter) dropped out of the project in 2011 over disagreements with Sony on budget and the direction of the story, and was later replaced by Limitless director/writer Neil Burger. A year later, Burger dropped out of the project. Marianne and Cormac Wibberley (National Treasure) were then brought on to pen a new script in August 2012. Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg said they were approached to direct on multiple occasions, but have repeatedly declined.
Seth Gordon, the director of King of Kong has been hired to direct, based on a script from David Guggenheim (Safe House, Stolen). No release date has been hinted at, but Sony refuses to let the film die, which should reassure those that wish to see this film made.
- Gordon has also been hired to direct the film Queen of Hearts, which could either delay the project, or force the director to choose one or the other. [2/7/14]
Watch Dogs
Ubisoft’s open-world, cyber-warfare game hits shelves in November 2013, but it already has a movie in the works. The Watch Dogs film was announced in June as part of the second trio of movies to be produced by Ubisoft Motion Pictures. Development is still in the early stages and a lot will depend on the performance of the preceding Ubisoft films, so little is known about the movie at this point.