Acclaimed producer Avi Arad, who's recent works include a number of comic book adaptations like "The Amazing Spider-Man," "The Incredible Hulk," and the Ghost Rider sequel, "Spirit of Vengeance," has a full plate for the future, set to work on a slew of adaptations for some of the most popular video game franchises to come through in the last few years.
During an event in Beijing, Arad laid out a plan of sorts to Kotaku, letting fans know when they can expect to see some of the planned movies based on properties like the Uncharted, Mass Effect, and Metal Gear Solid franchises.
First out of the gate, you have Firefl...I mean, Uncharted. It's hard to ignore the obvious parallels between Uncharted and Indiana Jones, but it's about time the story is told for a new generation, especially after the abysmal "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." Said Arad of the film's future, "I think Uncharted will be very successful. It's a father and son game. There are things about it that are interesting. I think the world of antiquities theft, there are many countries in the world that realised they're being robbed and they're trying to recoup these important pieces. Now, the script has a lot of character [and] I think that has a shot at being the first one [to succeed]."
The next movie fans can expect from Arad is Metal Gear Solid, but it will be at least three years away. As both Arad and gamers familiar with the series know, "it's actually full of storytelling," said Arad. "I always look at the bible as a storyteller and operas with special attention to relationships and here, you have Cain and Abel, Ying and Yang like Double Dragon." I can only hope that's a comparison to anything but the atrocious movie. Of all the movies Arad has planned, this one has me the most intrigued, and I'm quite thankful that Arad will be meeting with Kojima to ensure that the movie remains faithful to the series. But to keep things appealing to a larger audience, Arad will no doubt have to abandon a great deal of the game's interweaving story lines, something that most hardcore MGS fans will be greatly disappointed by.
Last up, you have the Mass Effect movie, a series already tailor fit for a trilogy, but given the sheer amount of options in the games, something as linear as a movie would make for a truly rough adaptation. It will be at least five or six years by Arad's approximation until the movie arrives, and Arad will need each and every day to get the project ready, saying, "It's a big idea, that we, humans, are the least developed, the least trusted, it's an interesting mirror image of our world, we are the aliens now. Love the project, it's getting there, it's been a lot of work; some movies take five, six years before they're ready."
Arad's past works include a bevy of movies based on comic books, so he knows a thing or two about making a successful movie with a built-in, albeit picky audience. It should be addressed that with a few exceptions here and there, movies based on video games typically don't go over well, which Arad acknowledges.
"Converting games to film hasn't been done yet successfully, though Resident Evil did very well-it was actually a great series. I remember when Bernd Eichinger started it," said Arad. "I was working with him, I just couldn't do that at Marvel but I had a good feeling about it, it's a fantastic franchise.
"I think that film studios are bankers and filmmakers are risk takers and somewhere in between we meet on the battlefield. And the moment one video game movie goes through the roof, it's the same thing that I've been through with comic books."
Let's hope Arad is correct, otherwise there'll be a lot of disappointed fans out there.