The article mentions he's not a gamer and that doesn't have to be a problem. Helldivers is one you probably need to at least shoulder surf a couple of games to understand why people like it buuuut...
The article mentions he's not a gamer and that doesn't have to be a problem. Helldivers is one you probably need to at least shoulder surf a couple of games to understand why people like it buuuut you may get away with not playing it yourself. The jawdroppingly cinematic emergent gameplay is what makes it good (and the gunplay too), not just the fact that it's inspired by Starship Troopers.
Conversely, Starship Troopers isn't a great film because of the action, it's great because Hauer leaned into the turbofascism. There's a lot of that in Helldivers too that makes the entire thing tick, but it's not just that.
I'm curious what direction they'll try to take it. It could be an interesting critique or a schlocky action flick and both have potential for different reasons.
I agree, but I've been trying to figure out how much cause there is for optimism. It's closing in on 20 million copies sold in a little under 2 years, while HD1 sales are estimated at 2.4 mil in a...
I'm curious what direction they'll try to take it. It could be an interesting critique or a schlocky action flick and both have potential for different reasons.
I agree, but I've been trying to figure out how much cause there is for optimism. It's closing in on 20 million copies sold in a little under 2 years, while HD1 sales are estimated at 2.4 mil in a decade. Are there any valid comparisons for an adaptation of a similarly "new" video game IP that doesn't have any other claims to mainstream cultural relevance? I imagine getting Lin on board is with a view to throwing a good budget at this, so I dunno how likely or desirable a Starship Troopers-style cult classic would be. Aren't mid-budget movies on the decline anyway?
The franchise also doesn't have any main character(s), not to mention it's fighting the general trend of poor video game movie adaptations. You would think that last point is changing as newer generations of directors emerge as compared to 20-30 years ago; Lin himself may not end up sinking 200 hours into the game but I'm sure he'll understand it at least.
I'm a fan of the original Helldivers game, so I'm happy that Arrowhead has found success by building pretty much exactly what the community asked for, but it still trips me out to see how HD2 has become such a phenomenon.
Oh I'm not optimistic in the slightest. Video game adaptations have shown time and time again that there is no cause to feel optimistic, only surprise when one bucks the trend. Admittedly, that...
Oh I'm not optimistic in the slightest.
Video game adaptations have shown time and time again that there is no cause to feel optimistic, only surprise when one bucks the trend. Admittedly, that happens more often lately but it still ain't a surefire success. Mortal Kombat films were fun in a so-bad-its-good kind of way but it's not like anything else did much better until decades later.
We could go for a General Brasch cameo? Other than that, I think main characters don't have to have more depth than Rico did. The unifying bond in Helldivers has never been the ever replaceable soldiers, but the glue is the patriotic teamwork towards Managed Democracy that strangers all over the world have felt with both HD1 and 2. It needs to latch on to more overarching themes than a character study.
Let's say I'm not optimistic, just curious about the direction. I wouldn't mind being surprised though!
I personally doubt this will pull off the needle threading Starship Troopers did, but it's probably going to be "fine" for generic action flick wearing a helldivers skin. Curious if they even...
I personally doubt this will pull off the needle threading Starship Troopers did, but it's probably going to be "fine" for generic action flick wearing a helldivers skin.
Curious if they even really bother with the satire or if we just get the standard "lone protagonist with romance interest" adlibs script.
Let's face it, Sony doesn't have a good record, and especially not of its video games. Neither Uncharted (made its money back, but not enought for a sequel) or the Ratchet & Clank movie (bombed)...
Let's face it, Sony doesn't have a good record, and especially not of its video games. Neither Uncharted (made its money back, but not enought for a sequel) or the Ratchet & Clank movie (bombed) were terribly well-received.
To be a little fair I think this one has a better chance of being a "hit" just simply because "sci fi military action spectacle" has mass appeal. Uncharted maaaaybe should have (obviously sharing...
To be a little fair I think this one has a better chance of being a "hit" just simply because "sci fi military action spectacle" has mass appeal.
Uncharted maaaaybe should have (obviously sharing territory with Indiana Jones), but Ratchet & Clank is a lot more nostalgia bait. Whereas I can see helldivers being a movie that happens to be an ad for the game, rather than hoping the game serves as an ad for the movie.
Honestly I think leaning on the video game in marketing at all would be a mistake, given how utterly tainted "video game movie" is in the public perception. Market the movie in the game, but leave...
Honestly I think leaning on the video game in marketing at all would be a mistake, given how utterly tainted "video game movie" is in the public perception. Market the movie in the game, but leave the game out of the movie marketing.
(I say this while secretly wanting an Ace Combat movie some day)
I wonder what direction they'll be going in. I haven't seen any Fast & Furious movies recently, but I do remember watching Tokyo Drift which Lin had directed. He's made some of the newer ones. The...
I wonder what direction they'll be going in. I haven't seen any Fast & Furious movies recently, but I do remember watching Tokyo Drift which Lin had directed. He's made some of the newer ones. The script is from Gary Dauberman, who was the screenwriter for Annabelle and It movies, which I haven't seen either.
They're remaking Starship Troopers? I kid! I kid because I love. This is almost enough to make me want to check out the game, but I've had very little reason to go back on my "online games suck"...
They're remaking Starship Troopers? I kid! I kid because I love. This is almost enough to make me want to check out the game, but I've had very little reason to go back on my "online games suck" stance. I'll still probably check out the movie, though. I've enjoyed several video game movies due to having zero emotional investment in the games themselves.
The article mentions he's not a gamer and that doesn't have to be a problem. Helldivers is one you probably need to at least shoulder surf a couple of games to understand why people like it buuuut you may get away with not playing it yourself. The jawdroppingly cinematic emergent gameplay is what makes it good (and the gunplay too), not just the fact that it's inspired by Starship Troopers.
Conversely, Starship Troopers isn't a great film because of the action, it's great because Hauer leaned into the turbofascism. There's a lot of that in Helldivers too that makes the entire thing tick, but it's not just that.
I'm curious what direction they'll try to take it. It could be an interesting critique or a schlocky action flick and both have potential for different reasons.
I agree, but I've been trying to figure out how much cause there is for optimism. It's closing in on 20 million copies sold in a little under 2 years, while HD1 sales are estimated at 2.4 mil in a decade. Are there any valid comparisons for an adaptation of a similarly "new" video game IP that doesn't have any other claims to mainstream cultural relevance? I imagine getting Lin on board is with a view to throwing a good budget at this, so I dunno how likely or desirable a Starship Troopers-style cult classic would be. Aren't mid-budget movies on the decline anyway?
The franchise also doesn't have any main character(s), not to mention it's fighting the general trend of poor video game movie adaptations. You would think that last point is changing as newer generations of directors emerge as compared to 20-30 years ago; Lin himself may not end up sinking 200 hours into the game but I'm sure he'll understand it at least.
I'm a fan of the original Helldivers game, so I'm happy that Arrowhead has found success by building pretty much exactly what the community asked for, but it still trips me out to see how HD2 has become such a phenomenon.
Oh I'm not optimistic in the slightest.
Video game adaptations have shown time and time again that there is no cause to feel optimistic, only surprise when one bucks the trend. Admittedly, that happens more often lately but it still ain't a surefire success. Mortal Kombat films were fun in a so-bad-its-good kind of way but it's not like anything else did much better until decades later.
We could go for a General Brasch cameo? Other than that, I think main characters don't have to have more depth than Rico did. The unifying bond in Helldivers has never been the ever replaceable soldiers, but the glue is the patriotic teamwork towards Managed Democracy that strangers all over the world have felt with both HD1 and 2. It needs to latch on to more overarching themes than a character study.
Let's say I'm not optimistic, just curious about the direction. I wouldn't mind being surprised though!
I personally doubt this will pull off the needle threading Starship Troopers did, but it's probably going to be "fine" for generic action flick wearing a helldivers skin.
Curious if they even really bother with the satire or if we just get the standard "lone protagonist with romance interest" adlibs script.
Let's face it, Sony doesn't have a good record, and especially not of its video games. Neither Uncharted (made its money back, but not enought for a sequel) or the Ratchet & Clank movie (bombed) were terribly well-received.
To be a little fair I think this one has a better chance of being a "hit" just simply because "sci fi military action spectacle" has mass appeal.
Uncharted maaaaybe should have (obviously sharing territory with Indiana Jones), but Ratchet & Clank is a lot more nostalgia bait. Whereas I can see helldivers being a movie that happens to be an ad for the game, rather than hoping the game serves as an ad for the movie.
Honestly I think leaning on the video game in marketing at all would be a mistake, given how utterly tainted "video game movie" is in the public perception. Market the movie in the game, but leave the game out of the movie marketing.
(I say this while secretly wanting an Ace Combat movie some day)
I wonder what direction they'll be going in. I haven't seen any Fast & Furious movies recently, but I do remember watching Tokyo Drift which Lin had directed. He's made some of the newer ones. The script is from Gary Dauberman, who was the screenwriter for Annabelle and It movies, which I haven't seen either.
They're remaking Starship Troopers? I kid! I kid because I love. This is almost enough to make me want to check out the game, but I've had very little reason to go back on my "online games suck" stance. I'll still probably check out the movie, though. I've enjoyed several video game movies due to having zero emotional investment in the games themselves.