Could these games make the leap to film?

By: Paresh Jha

Posted: 10/10/08

There are tons of videogame franchises out there that could make compelling films. While the games are good enough on their own, the thought of seeing our favorite characters fleshed out on screen is one that could make any fan giddy. However, it could also make anyone squeamish as well.

Videogame-to-movie adaptations have not fared well in the past, and allowing studios and directors to ruin our favorite franchises is not what gamers have in mind.

Nonetheless, the following series can make for excellent cinema as long as they are handled with respect and passion.

"God of War"

One of the greatest Playstation 2 games of all time deserves the film treatment. The story itself is captivating - a tale of honor, betrayal and revenge, set in Ancient Greece incorporating Greek mythology with history. Put this movie in the hands of the Wachowski brothers ("The Matrix") and get ready for a visual spectacle that could be out of this world. They have the imaginations necessary to bring this game to film and the creativity to make it unique. It would be wise to get an unknown for the role of Kratos while having big name actors portray the supporting cast (Nicole Kidman as Athena, anyone?). A film adaptation was announced in 2005, and the script was finished last year, but director and cast are still up in the air.

"The Legend of Zelda"

This franchise could be tricky to put on film. After all, the main character never speaks. Fans would undoubtedly throw a fit if Link, the protagonist of the series, actually talked - then again, it is likely that studios and non-gamers would be dumbfounded as to why the hero is a mute. The best way to do this is to make Link the silent type. This does not necessarily mean that he won't talk, but that he should utter only a few words, thereby reaching a compromise.

Aside from Link's dialog issues, "Zelda" features an epic fantasy tale of courage, love and honor that can be explored from many different angles. It might be wise to make Princess Zelda the main character and show the story from her viewpoint. Regardless of what route the studio would take, this movie might work best under the direction of Guillermo del Toro ("Pan's Labyrinth"). He has already been announced as the director of "The Hobbit" and that would give him great practice for helming a Zelda movie - possibly a trilogy. Cast Scarlett Johansson as Zelda, an unknown as Link, and Ben Kingsley as Ganondorf (the villain) and watch the magic happen.

"Metroid"

The Metroid series has a very dark tone, which should be reflected in film if it ever gets to that stage. A Metroid film has the potential to be an awesome three part space odyssey, as Samus deals with an underlying threat that develops to a climax in the final third - much like the Metroid Prime series. Samus' armor could have the same cool factor that Iron Man pulled off this past summer.

Samus should most likely be portrayed by Charlize Theron. Also, many other capable stars can inhabit roles of space pirates or members of the galactic federation depending on the setting and back story. Let a director with a proven science fiction track record like Kurt Wimmer ("Equilibrium") handle this movie.

"Halo"

Love it or hate it, Halo is at the very least an engaging francise. The storyline spans three games, a few novels and now some graphic novels. A premise that garners that much attention must be doing something right.

While the two main characters are a bit one-dimensional, the film itself does not have to be about Master Chief. Similar to "Terminator," Master Chief could function as the most important supporting character in the film. The main character could even be a soldier assisting Master Chief and Cortana.

While this series was in the hands of Peter Jackson as a producer, it is now at a standstill at the studios. If and when it does get made, they should consider Ridley Scott to put a "Blade Runner"-like twist on the film.

Samuel L. Jackson would be perfect as Sgt. Johnson, the headstrong leader of the Marines. Cortana would have to be computer generated, but Julia Roberts would be an interesting voice decision. Master Chief can be played by anyone, since we would never end up seeing his face. Much like "Metroid", "Halo" has the potential to be a science fiction cinematic phenomenon.

Image courtesy of Amazon.comv