Expect this article to be filled with snark, sarcasm, and legitimate criticism of Sony Pictures.
Video game adaptations don’t have a great history of positive critical or fan acclaim. They don’t even have a history of great monetary success. The highest-grossing video game adaptation ever was Pokemon: Detective Pikachu and it only made $144 million domestically and $431 million worldwide. So color me shocked that companies continue to make video-game movies… Seriously, we have Mortal Kombat being made, Sonic The Hedgehog hitting theaters next month, and the currently director-less Uncharted adaptation from my favorite studio, Sony.
Speaking of the amazing creative executives at Sony and it’s supposed Tom Holland starring Uncharted movie, Ruben Fleischer is supposedly desired to be the next director to leave the project. That is, he’s who the studio wants to take the job. If he takes the job, he’ll be the seventh director to take a stab at bringing Nathan Drake to the big screen. Much like the obvious problem at LucasFilm is Kathleen Kennedy (nearly 10 directors for five films, losing money on one, and dividing the fandom with another) Sony is at fault for the high turnover. How do I know this? Leadership.
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There are certain skills and traits that all good leaders have regardless of the field they are leading. These include the most important skill, inspiring your subordinates and engendering commitment without the need or threat of force/punishment. Every team is expected to have one or two bad eggs and that would not be the leader’s fault, but if you have three or more subordinates falling out of line, it’s time to start looking at those in charge. So, what is it with those at Sony that has every director fleeing in terror?
While The Hollywood Reporter states that no actual negotiations have started with Fleischer though. One most wonder what he is thinking. I believe Sony has a specific image in mind. An idea of what they want this movie to look like and be like. However, they’re the ones that came up with The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Spider-Man 3, Venom, and the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot. They have no idea what fans want, obvious from making Ghostbusters: Afterlife look like Stranger Things and IT, and stuff like that is not what made the original Ghostbusters so great. Sony execs thought they could take Tom Holland’s MCU spidey and do well. SONY IS MAKING A MORBIUS MOVIE!!!
Given the constant, and very visible, fan discontentment with the studio, you would think they would be more willing to let directors make some choices and go with them, especially with a video-game adaptation. To be fair, I don’t think film is the best place for video-game’s to be translated. I think TV/streaming series’ is the best option to bring a game to life. Look at the critical and fan appreciation for Netflix’s Castlevania as an example. The series format gives more time for characters and stories to be developed. Many games spend as little as 8 hours and as many as 60 hours (or more) bringing a story to life, and it’s hard to do the same in a 2-hour movie.
Anyways, that’s my take on it. That’s the latest on this neverending source of articles. What say you? Is Fleischer the man for the job? Will Sony let him actually direct the film? Let us know in the comments below!
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Source: THR
