Hollywood Cashes in on Another Game Franchise: Psi-Ops The Movie Confirmed
Movie producers taking the game-of-film thing a step too far?
Traditionally, the relationship between the cinema and games industries has been fairly one-sided. Developers choose a film, appropriate the characters, environment and storyline, and then churn out a game based on that framework. Generally-speaking, this uninspired process has led to the production of fairly uninspiring games.
However, over the last year or so, the tables seem to have turned. Not only are certain movie studios, like Warner Bros, trying to increase their stake in related games, but games are themselves becoming reason enough to make a movie. Just like developers willingly take a popular film and turn it into a game, now movie producers are taking popular games and turning them into films.
This reversed trend isn’t necessarily a good thing though: as the popularity of games tends to reflect how they play, as opposed to how engaging its characters are, or how the portrayal of so-and-so really reflects pertinent observations of modern society etc. So when Adrian Askarieh and Chuck Gordon, producers of the upcoming Spy Hunter movie, announced that they are planning a movie based on Midway’s Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy, we once again had to don our critical specs.
Psi-Ops has proved to be one of this summer’s surprise sleeper hits, with its inclusion of unusual psionic-power enhanced gameplay. However, it’s a completely new franchise, and could hardly be described as household brand comparable to the likes of Doom, Tomb Raider, Resident Evil or Mario – games that have more sensibly warranted movie adaptations.
Any proposed Psi-Ops movie is going to have a niche audience. If it’s closely based on the game, then it may draw particular attention from the game’s fans, but not necessarily anyone else. If it’s not based on the game, then it begs the question, why bother buying up the license rights?
Speaking to Variety, Askarieh said that he had “...always been interested in the whole idea of psionic powers that have been developed by the government, even though they’ve been very close-mouthed about admitting they conducted those kinds of experiments.” It sounds rather like the Psi-Ops franchise is largely incidental to the project and is being used mainly as a marketing tool, just as movie names have often been used to make vapid games-by-numbers seem marginally more remarkable.
We’ll find out for sure this autumn, when the film is set to be released.
However, over the last year or so, the tables seem to have turned. Not only are certain movie studios, like Warner Bros, trying to increase their stake in related games, but games are themselves becoming reason enough to make a movie. Just like developers willingly take a popular film and turn it into a game, now movie producers are taking popular games and turning them into films.
This reversed trend isn’t necessarily a good thing though: as the popularity of games tends to reflect how they play, as opposed to how engaging its characters are, or how the portrayal of so-and-so really reflects pertinent observations of modern society etc. So when Adrian Askarieh and Chuck Gordon, producers of the upcoming Spy Hunter movie, announced that they are planning a movie based on Midway’s Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy, we once again had to don our critical specs.
Psi-Ops has proved to be one of this summer’s surprise sleeper hits, with its inclusion of unusual psionic-power enhanced gameplay. However, it’s a completely new franchise, and could hardly be described as household brand comparable to the likes of Doom, Tomb Raider, Resident Evil or Mario – games that have more sensibly warranted movie adaptations.
Any proposed Psi-Ops movie is going to have a niche audience. If it’s closely based on the game, then it may draw particular attention from the game’s fans, but not necessarily anyone else. If it’s not based on the game, then it begs the question, why bother buying up the license rights?
Speaking to Variety, Askarieh said that he had “...always been interested in the whole idea of psionic powers that have been developed by the government, even though they’ve been very close-mouthed about admitting they conducted those kinds of experiments.” It sounds rather like the Psi-Ops franchise is largely incidental to the project and is being used mainly as a marketing tool, just as movie names have often been used to make vapid games-by-numbers seem marginally more remarkable.
We’ll find out for sure this autumn, when the film is set to be released.
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Comments
Joji 17 Aug 2004 14:52
1/5
Hollywood trying to cash in. It might make good business sense to them but I'm sure there are games more worthy of selection for adaption than Psi Ops.
Where the hell is the Zelda movie, the MGS movie or Command and Conquer movie? Don't these more popular and well known games with deeper storylines deserve attention, make more sense, and possibly more money?
These movie execs are just clutching at straws if the can't select something more interesting. I'm not putting a downer on Psi Ops, we just know there are others more deserving. You would have thought they'd do some market research or something.
Where the hell is the Zelda movie, the MGS movie or Command and Conquer movie? Don't these more popular and well known games with deeper storylines deserve attention, make more sense, and possibly more money?
These movie execs are just clutching at straws if the can't select something more interesting. I'm not putting a downer on Psi Ops, we just know there are others more deserving. You would have thought they'd do some market research or something.
Deviluck 17 Aug 2004 18:48
2/5
A half life movie would rule, and yeh, why PSI OPS or whatever, i am not even slighty interested by that game.
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ryohazuki-san 17 Aug 2004 20:50
3/5
Joji wrote:
>Where the hell is the Zelda movie, the MGS movie
>or Command and Conquer movie? Don't these more
>popular and well known games with deeper
>storylines deserve attention, make more sense,
>and possibly more money?
>
>These movie execs are just clutching at straws if
>the can't select something more interesting. I'm
>not putting a downer on Psi Ops, we just know
>there are others more deserving. You would have
>thought they'd do some market research or
>something.
I wud luv 2c a Zelda Movie, dat wud definately b a hit, especially if they get a director like Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings) to make it.
MGS, dat wudnt b bad either, da game plot is great and is definatley movie material.
Resident Evil Apocalypse isnt looking to bad, ive seen da trailer and hopin its better than the 1st.
Being such a Shenmue fan, i wud luv to see that as a film. this would a larger appeal in the eastern part of the world mainly because of its background.
But back to the Psi-Ops, they just dnt no! Im sure all the gamers out there kud come up with better game tie-ins. Also, the film makers shud stick 2 da original story line of the games eg. final fantasy. They kud of started with any of the titles stories, as 7 n 8 being favourites.
Theyve failed on occasions making flops n average films suchas:
streetfighter (wot a load of shyte!)
Tomb raider 1&2 (wasnt brilliant, xcept 4 Angelina :P)
Mortal Kombat 2
Super Mario Bros to name a few.
Any how, if hollywood cant churn out true-to-the game films, then they shud allow it. Leave it to the manga/anime companies that can do a better job, n we all no Streetfighter Animated was crazy.
Lets all hope they get it rite nowadays.
___________________________________________
Dnt h8 da Playa h8 da game!!!
>Where the hell is the Zelda movie, the MGS movie
>or Command and Conquer movie? Don't these more
>popular and well known games with deeper
>storylines deserve attention, make more sense,
>and possibly more money?
>
>These movie execs are just clutching at straws if
>the can't select something more interesting. I'm
>not putting a downer on Psi Ops, we just know
>there are others more deserving. You would have
>thought they'd do some market research or
>something.
I wud luv 2c a Zelda Movie, dat wud definately b a hit, especially if they get a director like Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings) to make it.
MGS, dat wudnt b bad either, da game plot is great and is definatley movie material.
Resident Evil Apocalypse isnt looking to bad, ive seen da trailer and hopin its better than the 1st.
Being such a Shenmue fan, i wud luv to see that as a film. this would a larger appeal in the eastern part of the world mainly because of its background.
But back to the Psi-Ops, they just dnt no! Im sure all the gamers out there kud come up with better game tie-ins. Also, the film makers shud stick 2 da original story line of the games eg. final fantasy. They kud of started with any of the titles stories, as 7 n 8 being favourites.
Theyve failed on occasions making flops n average films suchas:
streetfighter (wot a load of shyte!)
Tomb raider 1&2 (wasnt brilliant, xcept 4 Angelina :P)
Mortal Kombat 2
Super Mario Bros to name a few.
Any how, if hollywood cant churn out true-to-the game films, then they shud allow it. Leave it to the manga/anime companies that can do a better job, n we all no Streetfighter Animated was crazy.
Lets all hope they get it rite nowadays.
___________________________________________
Dnt h8 da Playa h8 da game!!!
Joji 18 Aug 2004 12:34
4/5
Have to agree with you, these hollywood moguls don't know what's good enough to be turned into a film half the time.
On the flipside in japan, anime movies or series based on games usually turn out to be pretty good while not compromising their source material.
With FF: AC on the way soon it's clear that game to movie spin off are a great way to bring in extra cash, but I believe the only real way to do them justice might be via CG or anime movies, with live action for some of the best that need it.
FF:AC is looking cool. There has been anime movies of Sin, SF2 and SFAlpha. The very thought of Mario Bros and Street Fighter live action movies just makes me wanna hurl chunks a plenty. That's not the way hollywood.
I think part of the reason those films failed is because they were more suited to animation than live action, and also the main point that they were dire choices when there is much richer, and more deserving product out there. Hollywood are learning, but too slow for my liking. If they would just ask us gamers for some advice, and they could kill to birds with one stone.
In the aftermath of Animatrix, they are waking up to the fact you can use anime or animation for more than just Disney comedy, they do seem reluctant as hell to use it for anything else, and so they suffer. Perhaps comissioning japanese studios like Production I.D to make the anime films with hollywood money would be a better idea. Maybe then we'll see something more faithful to what we know. Let's hope FF: AC gives them a swift kick up the butt wake up call, that's long over due.
On the flipside in japan, anime movies or series based on games usually turn out to be pretty good while not compromising their source material.
With FF: AC on the way soon it's clear that game to movie spin off are a great way to bring in extra cash, but I believe the only real way to do them justice might be via CG or anime movies, with live action for some of the best that need it.
FF:AC is looking cool. There has been anime movies of Sin, SF2 and SFAlpha. The very thought of Mario Bros and Street Fighter live action movies just makes me wanna hurl chunks a plenty. That's not the way hollywood.
I think part of the reason those films failed is because they were more suited to animation than live action, and also the main point that they were dire choices when there is much richer, and more deserving product out there. Hollywood are learning, but too slow for my liking. If they would just ask us gamers for some advice, and they could kill to birds with one stone.
In the aftermath of Animatrix, they are waking up to the fact you can use anime or animation for more than just Disney comedy, they do seem reluctant as hell to use it for anything else, and so they suffer. Perhaps comissioning japanese studios like Production I.D to make the anime films with hollywood money would be a better idea. Maybe then we'll see something more faithful to what we know. Let's hope FF: AC gives them a swift kick up the butt wake up call, that's long over due.
Charlie A. Fink 18 Aug 2008 17:40
5/5
I've played the game and it's great. I like the Aura view ability where you get to see the creatures a.k.a. aura beasts and I wonder how there going to be in this movie.