Amy's life just got a tiny bit worse with the release of Escape From Rehab — a frankly rather shoddy flash game that sees the beehived nightingale swearing her way across a side scrolling beat 'em up.

The game is a promo for the upcoming flick Disaster Movie from the (ahem) visionary comedy geniuses behind Scary Movie, Date Movie and Meet The Spartans. Humor-wise, it is definitely up to their usual high standards.

Our Amy has to negotiate wave after wave of characters from other blockbusters (Hulk, Batman, etc) dispatching them with syringe and crack pipe power-ups or smart bombing them with a swipe of her impressive hairdo.

It's just this side of unplayable, but at least Amy can say she finally broke America. Kind of.

Escape From Rehab [via Casualgaming.biz]

"Personally I'd like to do another Doom movie, I thought working with it was a blast," he said. "There are some lessons we learned. The best way to do things better is to get the experience."

Hollenshead said that Universal still has the rights for the Doom movie and sequels, so the ball is really in their court on whether another is made.

"We’ll see what happens when we get further along in development of the (new Doom) game and there's more buzz and we share more about what the game will be about.

"As the buzz meter starts to go up that may kind of kick start the guys over at Universal."

The "Umbrella Incident" that took place in Raccoon City ended with a missile attack ordered by the government intended to wipe out the deadly zombie virus. Following this catastrophe, the Umbrella Corporation’s stock plummeted. This serious blow to the business giant resulted in its complete dissolution. 7 years later, at an airport somewhere in the United States, on an ordinary autumn afternoon, a zombie is unleashed. Now, in an airport beginning to fill with the undead, the horrific disaster is about to repeat itself...

Well that certainly sounds...like every other zombie movie ever created. The difference here? Claire Redfield and Leon S. Kennedy. They really didn't have to go to all this trouble. They could have have just issued a press release that said "Leon. Claire. Zombies. Guns." and we'd be sold.

Sony Pictures and CAPCOM® Introduce RESIDENT EVIL: DEGENERATION
Fans at San Diego’s Comic-Con International Get a Sneak Preview of the All New CGI Animated Feature Film Based on the Popular CAPCOM Video Game Franchise

Comic-Con International 2008
SAN DIEGO & TOKYO—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Seven years after the destruction of Raccoon City, the war against the zombies rages on in RESIDENT EVIL: DEGENERATION, a co-production of CAPCOM Co., Ltd. (CAPCOM) and Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan Co., Ltd. (SPEJ) based on the popular video game and film franchise. Making its theatrical debut this fall in Japan and coming to DVD, Blu-ray™ High-Def and PSP in North America later in 2008, this spectacular, all-CGI animated feature takes the zombie action to a whole new level with its ground-breaking visual effects and thrilling new storyline.

SPEJ and CAPCOM hosted a sneak preview of RESIDENT EVIL: DEGENERATION during a panel and press conference, open to the public, at San Diego’s Comic-Con International in San Diego on Friday, July 25 at 1:00 PM P.D.T. in the San Diego Convention Center (Room 2). During this event, producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi (associate producer of Resident Evil: Apocalypse and video game producer of Resident Evil® 4 and Devil May Cry® 4) and director Makoto Kamiya (special effects director of L: Change The World, Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All Out Attack) presented the worldwide debut of the film’s revealing two-minute theatrical trailer and answered questions about RESIDENT EVIL: DEGENERATION.

SYNOPSIS

The "Umbrella Incident" that took place in Raccoon City ended with a missile attack ordered by the government intended to wipe out the deadly zombie virus. Following this catastrophe, the Umbrella Corporation’s stock plummeted. This serious blow to the business giant resulted in its complete dissolution. 7 years later, at an airport somewhere in the United States, on an ordinary autumn afternoon, a zombie is unleashed. Now, in an airport beginning to fill with the undead, the horrific disaster is about to repeat itself...

Image courtesy PSU

"I think we definitely thought about it," he said. "I think that's the trend moving forward."

With the recently announced ability to purchase movies on a Playstation 3 and move them over to a Playstation Portable, and as the cost of memory continues to drop, the chance that a new Playstation Portable would include some sort of internal storage option is becoming increasingly likely, Tretton said.

New of the push toward digitally distributed movies through the Playstation Store is also like to impact UMD's already flagging movie sales, he added.

"I think the UMD has struggled," he said. "And that's an understatement. That's been a very frustrating thing. I don't think (UMD movies) were handled very effectively."

He said it seemed that studios said "lets see if we can get people to pay $20 or $30 for crappy movies with less content."

Digital distributed movies, he said, is either going to supplement the UMD movie's struggle or be the "stake in the UMD's heart."

Rather than masquerade a single video as an entire post, here are some highlights of what's available from other sites in the way of movies and screens:

• Above is the new trailer for Lego Batman. We picked it up from Gamers Hell. It's got Poison Ivy building some evil-looking plant mini-kits, and Bruce Wayne kicking ass with a briefcase.

• Some more screens from Tomb Raider: Underworld. (Also Gamers Hell)

• Also the World Exclusive Debut Trailer for Blitz: The League II. It's at Gametrailers, because everything over there is a world exclusive.

Director Paul W.S. Anderson recently talked to MTV's Movies blog about the likelihood of another Resident Evil movie. It's still being discussed. Hey, they haven't even got the storyline worked out yet (if they'd actually stuck to anything at all resembling the game, that might not be an issue).

I'm just starting to talk to Sony about it,” Anderson confessed. “I don’t even know if anything will come of it, but there’s a possibility it might happen.”

The last flick ended on a cliffhanger, as MTV recalls, so another film is likely at some point:

“I love the ‘Resident Evil’ franchise and we always try to make the best possible movie we can. If we could find a good ‘Resident Evil 4’ to make, then we would do it,” he said. “But I wouldn’t just do it for the sake of it, that’s for sure.”

Wouldn't do it just for the sake of it, huh? Then salve me by making a Code: Veronica flick, utterly faithful to the game, Ashfords and bug jewels and the whole nine yards. That, I'd go see.

What about you guys? Do you like the RE movies or find them an abomination? What would the "good" Resident Evil film look like?

‘Resident Evil 4’ Likely, Says Director Paul W.S. Anderson [MTV Movies Blog, Via Multiplayer]

Follow up: Street Fighter The Movie [Alan Noon, via Game|Life]

I went to go check out Chanbara Beauty on Friday but unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) I had a little too much to drink right before the movie so I didn’t get to see it in its entirety because I fell asleep. I remember some zombies and some chick in a bikini named Aya who had a sword, and she used this sword to fight the zombies. At some point I woke up and she was fighting some other chick who was in a school uniform of some kind. I don’t remember ever seeing this little girl [with arrow] in the movie so I have no idea who she is or what she has to do with the movie. And then the movie ended.

We would've remembered everything if we had seen it. But we didn't, so tough tooty.

OneChanbara Review [That Girl's Site]

But G4 managed to dig deeper, to delve into the very psychie of Mitchell, unearthing an even bigger ass than the one seen on the big screen. It's too bad they didn't get around to asking the tough questions, question like: Where did you get that tie? Does your thumb ever get tired? Do you rent out the space under the front of your hair?

Check out the full airing of Mitchell's philosophy on Friday at 9 p.m.

In an interview with Multiplayer, Bushnell said that the writers Brian Hecker and Craig Sherman really seemed to get what Atari stood for and that despite the numerous pitches for similar stories, this was the first he's backed.

“There’s been a lot of books [about Atari],” he said. “Some correct, some incorrect. I’ve kind of gotten used to being portrayed by others. I kind of thought that this [a movie] might happen. I kind of thought that it wouldn’t happen until maybe after I was in the ground for a little while. [laughs]”

Hit up Multiplayer for the full interview with Bushnell and his thoughts on previous brushes with Hollywood fame.

Atari Founder ‘Thrilled’ To Be Played By Leonardo DiCaprio, Talks ‘Atari’ Movie [Multiplayer]

Molina joins Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton and Ben Kingsley in the Disney production. Mike Newell will be directing the adaptation and Jerry Bruckheimer is producing.

If it weren't for that appearance by Kingsley in that Uwe Boll movie I'd say that the cast is rock solid.

Alfred Molina joins Prince of Persia [Variety]

Here's a wild guess: Variety recently reported that Fox will release the "Street Fighter" movie in the U.S. on Feb. 27, 2009. I'd say right around then makes a lot of sense.

Not only is that a big promotional event for the franchise, but Capcom is an investor in the movie. While I'm sure it hopes to make money on the film, it's obviously investing those millions in part to try and revive public interest in "Street Fighter." As such, Capcom would be crazy to not take advantage of the big (by videogame standards) promotional push Fox will be putting behind the release of "Street Fighter: the Legend of Chun-Li" and have its game on store shelves at the same time.

If by some chance Capcom just can't get the game out by then, around the movie's DVD release (probably in late spring) would be the next logical time to expect it.

Makes sense! And if not spring, then late fall — just in time for Christmas.
Prolly Coming Out With Movie [The Cut Scene]

My time with the game was short, so I tried to cram as much in as possible before I was ejected from the controls. I was dropped in the middle of a graveyard with the dead coming to life all around me. A combination of the stone fist, a special flaming fist move and various weapons helped me make my way through the walking corpses. The controls were simple enough to pick up and I found myself getting around with ease. Combos can be used as well to really give yourself some extra power. There are also contextual grappling moves that can be used to pull your enemies close for those final crushing blows. Puzzles also play a role in the gameplay although the one I played was rather simple.

The graphics look pretty good and are definitely in the realm of what we have come to expect from our now-gen titles. All in all it was a fun gameplay experience that borrows liberally from several other games of this style. While that might not appeal to some gamers, fans of Hellboy will find it a fun romp with one of their favorite characters. Hellboy: Science of Evil releases June 12 for the PSP, Xbox 360 and PSP.

Significant about the BioShock film news is the fact that Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski's been tapped for the directorial role. This is interesting, because you may recall that just a couple months ago, Verbinski was the keynote speaker at the 2008 DICE summit.

Lots of gamers may have wondered what a film director was doing at DICE, but now that he's directing our next big game flick, you may want to take a second look at what he said there.

During his keynote in February, Verbinski admitted that the concept of games as a truly powerful, experiential medium was still a little new to him — but he also seemed to demonstrate curiosity and respect for what he had yet to learn.

He talked primarily about ways to elaborate on game narratives, but encouragingly, he showed a healthy respect for games as their own medium, avoiding the often problematic philosophy that tries to blur the line between the two - usually resulting in both cheesy "summer blockbuster" action games, and films that knock off games while broadly missing what made the source material appealing.

It's also worth noting that Verbinski has had success navigating the choppy waters of mega-success with the Pirates flicks - those Pirates fans are devoted, but rather than exploit them through continual and decompensating sequels, he stopped with a solid trilogy. Perhaps this means game fans can trust that he's in it for quality?

At the very least, there's the familiar "well, it's not Uwe Boll," refrain. What do you guys think?

But... but what about the infamous anime shower scene?

No, this is actually a good moment to mention something about Chun-Li's depiction in the movie. Basically there are two factors at work. First, I've never seen a successful action movie (in my mind) that blatantly sexualized its female lead and succeeded for its audience. Catwoman, Elektra, the list goes on and on, and I just get a lot of eye-rolling. Then I think back to The Terminator, or possibly my all-time favorite movie, Aliens, and I think of how Ripley is depicted in that film. She's a tough woman, but not because she came from a place of wearing tight pants and beating up men. She's tough because she had this core emotional story about a life that could have been and never was. To me, that's the way you write a woman in these kinds of movies.

The interviewer actually appears to have enjoyed the Dead or Alive film, classily stating, "I heard that movie was so good every girl that saw that film on the big screen left the cinema pregnant."

But Marks actually has higher expectations for the Street Fighter flick:

Ah yes. Dead or Alive. Another reason why these game adaptations are so beloved...

Hopefully Street Fighter sets a new standard. I certainly believe it will. It's a game adaptation that takes itself seriously, because the material actually deserves to be taken seriously for those of us who were paying attention to the story and the anime series. Of course, there are those out there who just believe Street Fighter is lots of kicking and Hadoukens, and they'll be pleased too because there's plenty of fight sequences. And the fight scenes don't disappoint. I was lucky enough to see a few of them when I was out there a few weeks ago, and Dion Lam, the fight choreographer, has come up with some incredible stuff akin to his work in the Matrix movies.

Perhaps the key to making a decent film adaptation of a video game is developing an understanding of what the material means to its audience - Chun-Li fandom is adoring, not exploitive. At least, that's what I like to think!

Justin Marks on SF [JoBlo via Eurogamer]

"The special filmed content that is exclusive to the video game provides insight into Narnia and the events around the 'Prince Caspian' story like nothing else," said Andrew Adamson. "With movie fans' enthusiasm for unique experiences in video games as well, these scenes are ideal to complement the 'Prince Caspian' game's action."

Disney Interactive Studios Introduces Original Scenes Exclusive to Disney/Walden Media's the Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Video Game Ben Barnes Reprises Role as Prince Caspian in Two Live Action Filmed Segments

BURBANK, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Fans of The Chronicles of Narnia will get to experience two unique film scenes only one way - on their home consoles or Windows-based PC. Disney Interactive Studios announced today that two original scenes for Disney/Walden Media's The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian video game were filmed exclusively for the product and appear separately from the film. The unique scenes link The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and Prince Caspian stories with Dr. Cornelius (Vincent Grass) telling Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes) the story of how Narnia fell to the Telmarines hundreds of years ago.

The scenes were shot on the film set in Prague, Czech Republic, during principal shooting and feature dialogue revealing plot based on the events of the book, game and film. The creation of the live action content was directed by Andrew Adamson, the film's director. The two original scenes are part of 18 live action moments in the game, which include 16 excerpts from the feature film.

"The special filmed content that is exclusive to the video game provides insight into Narnia and the events around the 'Prince Caspian' story like nothing else," said Andrew Adamson. "With movie fans' enthusiasm for unique experiences in video games as well, these scenes are ideal to complement the 'Prince Caspian' game's action."

The England-based game production and development teams worked in cooperation with the London-based film crew and Andrew Adamson to assure the game's overall accuracy to the film. Capturing two original scenes was only possible through the collaborative partnership between Disney Interactive Studios; and Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media.

"The close partnerships we maintain with our film division and Walden Media allowed us to utilize the cast, crew and set to create two unique scenes exclusively for the video game," said Ed Bainbridge, vice president of European production, Disney Interactive Studios. "These entertaining and memorable scenes enable us to portray a part of the Narnia history that is drawn from the fiction and played out in the game."

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian video game will be available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, the Wii™ home video game system, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and Windows-based PC. A separate Nintendo DS™ version will also be available.

Developed by Traveller's Tales, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian for home consoles and Windows-based PC takes players throughout Narnia and includes a gameplay level, which is unique from both the novel and the film. The level, which is set between the events of "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" and "Prince Caspian," takes place at the castle of Cair Paravel and tells the story of how Narnia fell to the Telmarine hordes. In "Prince Caspian," Cair Paravel is seen only as abandoned ruins the Pevensies discover hundreds of years later.

The action/adventure game offers gameplay for one or two players on the same system and drop-in/drop-out features, allowing either player to join the game and leave. With combat, exploration and puzzle solving that extends beyond the film, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is the ideal complement to the movie-going experience. The game features more than 20 playable characters including the ability to play as Prince Caspian. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian console game is the sequel to The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe for consoles, which received the prestigious IGN.com Editor's Choice Award.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian for Nintendo DS, which is an action/role playing game, will include the debut of DGamer, Disney Interactive Studios' innovative new technology that provides a fun, connected game community for Disney video game fans. With DGamer, players earn content, interact and chat with others on Nintendo DS through the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection or on a computer through the Disney.com website. DGamer will be offered in North America in future Nintendo DS games from Disney Interactive Studios with a future launch scheduled in other global regions. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian for Nintendo DS and DGamer are being developed by Fall Line Studio, the Nintendo platform-dedicated development studio of Disney Interactive Studios.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian for consoles and Windows PC is rated T for Teen by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and will be available for Xbox 360, the PLAYSTATION 3 system and Wii for $49.99; and the PLAYSTATION 2 system and Windows-based PC for $29.99. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian for the Nintendo DS has an ESRB rating of E10+ for Everyone 10 years and older and will be available for $29.99.

For more information about The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian video game, log on to www.princecaspiangame.com.

In the game, which is aiming for a release to coincide with the movie hitting later this year, Harry returns to Hogwarts for a sixth year. The game will include wizard duels, potion brewing and Quidditch play.

The game hits the DS, Mac, mobile devices, PC, Playstation 2, Playstation 3, Playstation Portable, Wii and Xbox 360. What no iPhone? Come on!

EA AND WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCE HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE VIDEO GAME
Fans will relive the thrills, action and excitement of the movie this holiday season

Guildford, U.K. – April 22nd, 2008 – EA’s Casual Entertainment Label and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today announced that the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince™ video game will be released later this year to coincide with the Warner Bros. Pictures film based on J.K. Rowling’s sixth Harry Potter book.

“We believe that the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince video game represents a milestone in the movie tie-in genre,” said Harvey Elliott, Head of EA Bright Light studio in the UK where the Harry Potter franchise has its home. “Building on the technological advancements of previous games in the series and with a particular focus on the unique control system of Nintendo’s WiiTM, the team here is working closely with the filmmakers to create an immersive interactive experience that captures the story, the action, the excitement and, above all, the fun of the film. ”

“Working with EA, we look forward to offering fans a compelling Harry Potter video game, one which captures the thrilling storyline and high visual quality of the movie,” said Scott Johnson, Vice President, Business Development for Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “The adherence to the rich fiction is a trademark of this franchise and with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince fans will experience the most authentic and enjoyable game in the series to date.”

In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Voldemort is tightening his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven it once was. Harry suspects that dangers may even lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle that he knows is fast approaching. Together they work to find the key to unlock Voldemort’s defenses and, to this end, Dumbledore recruits his old friend and colleague, the well-connected and unsuspecting bon vivant Professor Horace Slughorn, whom he believes holds crucial information. Meanwhile, the students are under attack from a very different adversary as teenage hormones rage across the ramparts. Harry finds himself more and more drawn to Ginny, but so is Dean Thomas. And Lavender Brown has decided that Ron is the one for her, only she hadn't counted on Romilda Vane’s chocolates! And then there’s Hermione, simmering with jealously but determined not to show her feelings. As romance blossoms, one student remains aloof. He is determined to make his mark, albeit a dark one. Love is in the air, but tragedy lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again.

In the game of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, players will return to Hogwarts to help Harry survive a fraught sixth year. They will also have a chance to engage in exciting wizard duels, mix and brew magical ingredients in Potions class and take to the air to lead the Gryffindor Quidditch team to victory. Players may even get sidetracked by Ron’s romantic entanglements as they journey towards a dramatic climax and discover the identity of the Half-Blood Prince.

Under development by EA Bright Light Studio, the team behind the worldwide success of the Harry Potter library of games, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is scheduled for release in time for the movie launch this fall for the Wii, PLAYSTATION®3, Xbox 360™, PlayStation®2, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable), Nintendo DS, Windows PC, Macintosh and mobile devices.

I took a look at the opening chapter of the game entitled Frantic that introduces us to the character and the heavy driving theme of the game. You are the titular Wheelman and your first mission is to help a gal named Lomi escape from a bank heist. Because you are new to the area and don't know your way around, you must follow her directions to complete the mission. An inset map also helps with finding your way around. Throughout the level you are being pursued by police and a quick flip of the left stick will have you ramming your car into your chasers. If you are in possession of a gun, you can also use the stick to fire your weapon out the window. One insane special move called the cyclone sends your car spinning 180 degrees allowing you to shoot at enemies through the windshield. Your car takes a lot of abuse in this game, constantly smashing into other cars or in my case, walls. Luckily, once your car is wrecked, you can merely hop out and jump into another one.

Wheelman isn't all about driving however and you can leave your car to run around and take on enemies with your gun. The portion I played used both driving and on foot controls to complete the mission. The driving controls felt very tight and intuitive and the on foot controls had a similar feel. Accelerating and reversing in the car is done via the triggers and when you switch to on foot, the triggers allow you to aim and shoot your gun.

The graphics, while nice, had a certain sparseness to the details which I'm sure will be polished up in subsequent builds of the game. The camera work is very cinematic and dramatic. For instance, when making one particularly large jump, the camera switched to a front view and we got a little "bullet time" as the action slowed down so we could take in the full effect. Once the car hit the ground again everything went back to full speed. It was an effective trick and really gave one the feeling of being in a movie.

There's quite a bit of content to explore in Wheelman as well. Besides the open worldliness of the game there are also ten hours of missions and ten hours of events. I appreciated the work that went into making this title and thought it was a decent enough game, but ultimately there was not a whole lot about it that really wowed me. But then again, I am rarely impressed by franchise games in general and driving and shooting can get a bit boring after a while. I will reserve my final judgments of Wheelman until the game is actually completed and I have a chance to see more than a couple missions. Perhaps the addition of a little spit and polish will help me change my mind.

The blog does have some movie storyboards from artist Ted Boonthanakit. There's shooting and running. Don't remember shooting and running from the Street Fighter games, but whatever! Hit the jump for a look.

Street Fighter Movie [Official Site via The Cut Scene]

...there's so much story in Metal Gear as opposed to other video games that I think it's going to be a challenge but it's an upscale problem to have some much thematic subtexts and story material to draw from so I think we have a leg up already in that it's such a rich universe and Kojima is like George Lucas in terms of creating this universe so what it says about war by proxy in this kind of future where war has been outsourced to private companies I think can be almost very topical and also kind of satirical in like a Robocop kind of way, so I think if we can get a script that honors the storyline of all 4 games, but that also has a cinematic aesthetic you know the kind of aesthetic Verhoeven brought to Robocop or the kind of aesthetic the Wachowski's brought to The Matrix. If there's a cinematic identity to the piece that exists on its own, it doesn't conflict with the DNA of the game, you know that's our goal is to pull off those 2 things. Not mess with the DNA of the game but provide a movie that is an adaptation but that has it's own cinematic identity so even if you don't play the game you know, you'll come out of that movie feeling like you did at the end of The Matrix or the end of Robocop. That's our goal anyway.

Mini Indy Calls Out Big Indy [Postal MovieSet]

Topps' Speed Racer Candy Tracks Game [Topps]

Though De Luca didn’t directly state it, this probably means that Wimmer is also up to direct the big budget affair, as his previous films, Equilibrium starring Christian Bale and Ultraviolet starring Millo Jovovich, were similar fanboy-intensive, kinetic action/genre flicks. Neither one of those films connected at the box office, however, so MGS would be the director’s closest shot at bagging a sure thing, the whole video game curse notwithstanding. Wimmer’s next screenplay to hit the big screen will be April’s LAPD thriller Street Kings with Keanu Reeves.

Video game synopsis: Metal Gear Solid follows Solid Snake, a retired soldier who infiltrates a nuclear weapons disposal facility to neutralize the terrorist threat from FOXHOUND, a renegade special forces unit.

Full Story at http://www.slashfilm.com/2008/03/15/kurt-wimmer-to-write-and-possibly-direct-metal-gear-solid-movie

We're already working on a title that is more than two years out, and because the filmmaker is a game fan who is really excited about how we want to expand on the story of the film, we've been given a lot of latitude. It's been really fun to dig deep into this universe.

Brash Entertainment Signs Multi-Game Development Deal With Factor 5

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., March 13 /PRNewswire/ — Brash Entertainment today announced a game development deal with California-based game development studio, Factor 5. Under the terms of the worldwide agreement, the partners will collaborate on an unnamed title releasing in 2010 to be announced around the E3 Expo in July.

In addition to creating the multi-million selling STAR WARS: ROGUE SQUADRON franchise, INDIANA JONES, CONTRA: THE ALIEN WARS, LAIR and the classic TURRICAN franchise, Factor 5 is well respected for driving the technology of games. Factor 5 was a technology partner in the development of Nintendo's Wii and GameCube consoles, provider of the MusyX sound tools, partner in the Sony PlayStation 3 Edge toolset group, and has pioneered many technological advancements in the areas of audio and visuals in video games in collaboration with Dolby Labs, THX, and AMD/ATI.

"We do our due diligence on potential partners; we want to understand their in-house tech, and get to know their team and its capabilities. Factor 5 has a solid track record in creating licensed games that, in combination with their technology expertise, makes them an ideal partner," said Mitch Davis. "But what really cemented the collaboration was their passion for the IP and the world in which the game will live. Because that's when you are going to get really good games — when the people who are making it are really enjoying the process."

"Typically, there are two issues developers have with making a licensed game. First, they tend to have shorter development cycles. Second, there are often very tight constraints on how you can portray the world of the
IP, its characters and story. The resulting lack of creative freedom can be very frustrating — especially when it's a world you are excited to explore," said Julian Eggebrecht, President and Co-founder of Factor 5. "But collaborating with Brash is much different, we're already working on a title that is more than two years out, and because the filmmaker is a game fan who is really excited about how we want to expand on the story of the film, we've been given a lot of latitude. It's been really fun to dig deep into this universe."

"In collaborating with Brash, we were introduced to a very compelling fictional world and given the freedom to expand it through the game. We are working directly with the creative talent from the film, and feel that the close collaboration will result in an amazing game play experience that immerses the player in an incredible fantasy world."

Brash Entertainment Partners with Game Republic, Inc.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., March 12 /PRNewswire/ — Today Brash Entertainment announced a game development deal with Game Republic, Inc., the Japan-based studio led by famed game producer Yoshiki Okamoto. Under the terms of the worldwide agreement, the partners will collaborate on an unannounced game based on a popular Hollywood film. The game will release in 2010.

Game Republic, Inc. was founded in 2003 under the leadership of industry visionary, Yoshiki Okamoto. A 20-year veteran of the game industry, Game Republic, Inc. CEO Okamoto has had a dramatic impact on the styles of gameplay prevalent in modern titles and is credited with pioneering new genres including "one-on-one fighting" with Street Fighter II and "survival horror" with Resident Evil. In addition, his teams have delivered such popular franchises as Lost Planet, Devil May Cry, Onimusha, Darkstalkers and many more.

"As a gamer, I am extremely excited to work with Okamoto-san, who has produced some of my favorite games," said Brash co-founder and CEO Mitch Davis. "The Brash business gives us the luxury to match the best Hollywood IP with the skills of the most talented independent game developers; our partnership with a strong studio such as Game Republic, Inc. is an excellent example of that."

"One of my goals with games is to do something revolutionary with something that has been never been seen before. The opportunity to re-imagine a fictional world provided by a compelling Hollywood IP using the interactive medium of games is very exciting to me," said Okamoto. "In collaborating with Brash, we were introduced to a very compelling fictional world and given the freedom to expand it through the game. We are working directly with the creative talent from the film, and feel that the close collaboration will result in an amazing game play experience that immerses the player in an incredible fantasy world."

Vince Desi wants to get something straight right from the get go: Uwe Boll's Postal movie isn't a masterpiece, but it is, he thinks, at least entertaining.

The funny thing is that it probably wouldn't have even been that if it weren't for Boll's decision early on to mostly ignore the treatment that Postal developer Running With Scissors turned in and take the film in a different direction.

RWS's take was a hardcore action flick, something filled with "Postal scenes", something that even the Running With Scissors guys admit, isn't Boll's forte.

Instead Boll decided to turn the movie into satire, something that Desi thinks is actually a good fit for the German director. The end result was an $18 million movie that is mostly ad-libbed by the likes of David Foley and Vern Troyer. Even Desi, who makes a significant walk-on in the film, ad-libbed most of his lines. And Boll is a man who apparently doesn't believe in multiple takes, likley one of the reasons many of his films have bombed. While that doesn't work for sweeping epics, it might just work for a comedy.

Despite thinking that the movie is worth a watch, Desi knows that most of its money will likely come from DVD sales and that the theatrical appearance is really just there to get the name in front of peoples' faces. In fact, Desi says that Universal, which is distributing the movie, is seriously considering having it open in the vacuum created by the upcoming release of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

"No one is releasing a film that weekend because they know Indiana Jones will kill it, so we're thinking of releasing it then," he said. "I'm a marketing guy and I can see the Postal Guy takes on Indiana Jones."

So sure are the Running With Scissors guys that Postal will do well... in video... that they've already starting working on a rough draft for the sequel, Postal 2.

Desi sees the movie hitting this summer, and then it going to DVD shortly after. He says he's working to arrange a special edition that will include the film and a copy of the previous games for PC. Then the Postal Babe mobile games will hit (the most violent mobile game Desi says he's ever seen) and then work will start on the second movie and Postal 3 the game will be ready to ship.

"That's our 18 to 24-month plan," he said

Leigh and I are very excited about this new venture. We are big gaming fans and we think it would a great opportunity to continue the SAW legacy into a different platform/medium. Keeps things fresh for us anyway. A lot of people have asked us if we would be interested in writing another SAW movie...well, we are writing another SAW story...but it's for the game. We're treating this story like the SAW movies with lots of twists and turns. We have no idea how that is going to apply to a computer game format, considering that most games are generally pretty simple in it's plotting. Maybe its a good thing that Leigh and I are naive to the video game world and that we're writing it like its a movie!

Ah yes, ignorance is bliss, and could make for a relatively blissful video game version of Saw, at least until the game developers get a hold of the script and pull a more horrifying hack job on it than anything Jigsaw could have come up with.

Still, it's good to see such an important person to the franchise working on the game. It's not every day you get the creator of a movie working on a video game adaptation, much less the creator who is also the executive producer of the most popular horror franchise of the last few years.

The New Year - 2008 [James Wan's MySpace Blog - Via WhatUpThug]

Kreuk, Duncan cruise 'Street' [Variety]

Todays audience is a savvy, involved group so the film must be A plus plus in every area in order to capture the magic of the first film...The original Mortal Kombat game was born a child of many visual loves by the creators at midway so this latest version borrows heavily from that pioneering spirit and must be thought out and executed at the highest level in order for it succeed in today's market place.

It's was the first time I've ever worked in a bathing suit, so I was a little worried at first. Though, the costume was really cool, and I was able to play the part. We filmed during the winter, so it was a little chilly. I don't think you'd see a person dressed like this in winter.

And then they started licensing the awesome concept for video games!! Due out on Halloween October 2009 for Xbox 360 and PS3, we CAN'T WAIT! Developed by Brash Entertainment with the Unreal Engine 3, supposedly the game will be the result of close movie to game studio collaboration.

Oh, and to all the Saw fans. I'm sorry. (Not about this post, but that you've been sucked into liking crappy movies.) Oh, I kid. I love you all and have already judged you as perfect for reading my ramblings.

WhoIsJigsaw [Official Site via GameLife]

. I've never been much of a video gamer, but I like the adventure games and the shooting games might help my hand/eye coordination for the gun sequences in the film. I picked up a few games not really knowing what I was buying and when I started playing one I realized I had picked up "Stranglehold" starring Chow Yun Fat! Based on the John Woo movie "Hard Boiled," the graphics are incredible, he jumps, flies and shoots in slow-mo, very John Woo, very cool. I feel a little shy to tell him I'm playing him on a video game, to tell him how cool it is!

Pretty nice random purchase if you ask me, considering one of her co-stars in the Dragonball film is Chow Yun Fat himself, who steps into the role of Master Roshi, the dirty old beach bum who just happens to be stronger than almost anyone on the planet.

As for the rest of Miss Rossum's blog? I suppose you could read through it if you wanted to - I mean it's not like you're doing anything important right now anyway. Aside from a few nifty insights into the making of the movie, this is pretty much what you've got to look forward to:

I suppose I should mention I had a pet rabbit for a week when I was 6. I was the lucky one (when my name was chosen out of the hat) in school to take the class pet rabbit home for a week. Mom was not too thrilled to have "Peter Rabbit" running around our apartment. Even I will admit Peter was pretty messy, but I really loved little Peter Rabbit, and I named him after the great children's book written by Beatrix Potter. Did you read that book growing up? It was one of my favorites.

Beans, beans and beans.... [Emily Rossum's MySpace Blog via VH1 Game Break]