For decades Hollywood has tried their hand at adapting video games for the silver screen. So far, one could argue they’ve been wholly unsuccessful, and while there have been a couple that performed admirably, there’s never been an outright hit both critically and commercially. With films like Metal Gear Solid on the way, they haven’t given up just yet, but perhaps they’re looking at the wrong kind of properties. Maybe it’s about time they went for something less iconic in terms of character and story. Maybe something like Monument Valley.
That’s exactly what Paramount Pictures and Akiva Goldsman’s Weed Road are looking to do, Deadline reports. According to them, the two studios have tapped Patrick Osborne — writer and director of the 2014 Disney animated short, “Feast,” and writer/animation director for the upcoming Ralph Breaks the Internet — to develop and direct an adaptation of the mobile video game.
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“Monument Valley is a one of a kind experience, at once small in its meditative, simple gameplay, as well as enormous in its sense of history,” Osborne said. “I’m privileged to be handed the reins to Ida’s mysterious kingdom, to play in her world of impossible architecture where seeing things differently is everything. I am thrilled to bring this unique world to theaters with the talented storytellers of Paramount and Weed Road.”
Dan Gray, Head of Ustwo Games had the following to say:
“It’s been four years since we launched the first Monument Valley and have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to take our world of beauty and impossibility into cinema. We’re incredibly happy that we’ve found the perfect creative partners in Paramount, Weed Road and Patrick Osborne to champion this concept forward into another medium.”
Personally, I think this is a brilliant idea. Too often are we so absorbed in the characters or story in a game that we forget that in creating a film, we are losing one whole dimension of said game. However, with something like Monument Valley, whose main stars are the visuals and logic puzzles, you have the opportunity to create something just as engaging and enticing to those who wouldn’t even know it was a video game.
Given the visual styles of Monument Valley, there are countless opportunities for it to be taken advantage of in animation.
What do you think about Monument Valley being developed for film? Let us know down below!
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SOURCE: Deadline
