CEDA reviews role of reforms in diversification of economy and surge in non-oil revenues    79 hospitality facilities in Makkah and Madinah face penalties for closure order violations    Saudi Arabia hosts large-scale iftar banquets in Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, and Malaysia    Saudi Arabia records 23,865 violations in nationwide residency and labor law inspections    S&P upgrades Saudi Arabia's credit rating to A+    Trump orders 'decisive' military action against Houthis in Yemen    US Senate passes Republican spending bill to avert government shutdown    Zelenskyy says territorial control key to peace talks, rejects recognition of occupied regions    Pakistan says train hijacking death toll rises to 30, accuses India and Afghanistan of supporting militants    Al Nassr climbs to third with dominant win over Al Khaleej, Al Qadsiah slips after loss to Damac    Power bank likely caused South Korea plane fire, investigators say    Makkah Lanterns Festival returns for the eighth year as part of Ramadan activities    Crown Prince receives Yazeed Al-Rajhi after historic Dakar Rally 2025 victory    SR17 million fines slapped on 16 individuals and companies convicted of violating Capital Market Law    Saleh Al-Shehri's late penalty rescues Al Ittihad against Al Riyadh    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Man lives for 100 days with titanium heart in successful new trial    Argentinian court begins trial of seven healthcare professionals over Maradona's death    Singer Wheesung who wooed Korea with his ballads, found dead at 43    Prince Frederik of Luxembourg dies from rare disease    Real-life shipwreck story wins major book award    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Move over superheroes, video-game movies are going upscale
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 17 - 05 - 2015

CANNES — There was a time when a new video game adaptation was enough to make film critics gag, but the big money involved is starting to attract a new level of talent.
Video game movies have an ignoble history in Hollywood, dating back to the dark days of the early 1990s when clangers like “Super Mario Bros.”
starring Bob Hoskins and “Street Fighter” with Jean-Claude Van Damme were stinking up the screen.
But the lure of tapping into the world's estimated 1.8 billion gamers has kept drawing film-makers back for more, and the new projects seem determined to up the quality and match the success of superhero franchises.
Among the more promising projects is “Splinter Cell,” which has been gestating for some years but is thought to still have actor Tom Hardy attached, fresh from his hailed action turn in “Mad Max: Fury Road.”
The project also has director Doug Liman, the man behind smart blockbusters “The Bourne Identity” and “Edge of Tomorrow,” signed on, though rumors suggest he may have since departed.
Perhaps the most surprising video game project in the pipeline is a movie version of the wildly popular “Assassin's Creed.”
It has the crew from — of all things — the new “Macbeth” movie that is competing for the Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival under way, including stars Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard, and Australian director Justin Kurzel.
It is all a far cry from the first video game adaptations, which included nadirs of film-making like “Double Dragon” and the “Mortal Kombat” films.
They have an average score of 14 percent on the website Rotten Tomatoes, which gathers scores from critics.
Things started to look up a little in the new century, as bigger stars drew larger box office takings.
Angelina Jolie as “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” and Milla Jovovich's repeated appearances in the “Resident Evil” series generated plenty of money, even if the critics remained unconvinced.
The most successful adaptation in the genre remains 2010's “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” starring Jake Gyllenhaal, which grossed $335 million worldwide.
But that was still not enough to justify its $200 million outlay in the studio's eyes, and Disney abandoned hopes of turning it into a franchise.
But the movie makers can hardly be blamed for seeking a leg up from the video games industry, whose revenue is expected to surpass $100 billion by 2017, according to analysts Newzoo.
The big players in the movie industry are hoping they can recreate the giant financial success they have had with comic book adaptations, and think it will only take one success to get the ball rolling.
Former Marvel boss Avi Arad has said in the past he is convinced video games can be the next big thing, and is developing a series of cross-over projects, including “Metal Gear Solid.”
“I think that film studios are bankers and filmmakers are risk-takers and somewhere in-between we meet on the battlefield,” he told gaming website Kotaku in 2013.
“And the moment one video game movie goes through the roof... it's the same thing that I've been through with comic books.”


Clic here to read the story from its source.