Despite the typically abysmal box office numbers of films based upon video games, the trend in Hollywood seems to be to be leaning toward this genre, rather than away from it. Oscar-winning director Steven Spielberg signed a deal with Electronic Arts to develop several video game-inspired films and just a few days ago it was announced that action-ista Jerry Bruckheimer will be working with MTV to do the same.
Crystal Sky Pictures, the production company that developed the Nicholas Cage-driven Marvel Comic adaptation,
Ghost Rider, is banking on Namco’s
Tekken to help them out-fight the competition at the box office. Written by Michael Werb, Michael Colleary, and Hans Rodinoff, Tekken begins production February 4th under the direction of
Dwight Little. Little is no stranger to action films, having directed Steven Seagal in
Marked for Death and
Brandon Lee in
Rapid Fire. When asked about his take on the film, Little was quoted as saying, “
It's a gladiator story, but the videogame has a complicated enough storyline that it provides the template for a martial arts spectacular.”
Crystal Sky Pictures is also developing films based on Konami’s
Castlevania video game series and Marvel Comics’
Deathlok.
Tekken is still in development, so no official release date has been set.
Tekken synopsis courtesy of Crystal Sky Pictures:
In order to put to rest the ghosts of his past, Jin Kazama enters the Tekken tournament, a fierce and dangerous competition featuring the world’s best martial artists. Following close behind him is Zheng, a rebel monk looking to save Jin from his own inner demons. While on the surface Tekken appears to be the corporation of the future, Jin and Zheng expose a dark underbelly that could threaten the very threads of humanity.
Click HERE to see a list of the top grossing video game film adaptations.