By | Published May 20, 2008

I was originally planning to write solely about Gordon Chan’s upcoming adaptation of the KING OF FIGHTERS video game franchise which is scheduled to begin shooting in Taiwan this September. However, a quick look at other video game adaptations in the pipeline reveals a ridiculous flood of titles heading our way so it’s time for a monster breakdown of what we can expect within the next two years.

KING OF FIGHTERS VII [VG] – Trailer

KING OF FIGHTERS

It was recently announced that international sales of KING OF FIGHTERS, a sci-fi-themed actioner switched hands from Arclight Films to Inferno Entertainment.

Casting is currently underway with no names attached yet. What is known is that as a co-production to reflect the diverse make up of the video game’s characters, the cast will be multiracial with strong Chinese representation.

Meanwhile, Gordon Chan’s fantasy thriller PAINTED SKIN, starring Donnie Yen and SHAOLIN SOCCER actress Zhao Wei, recently premiered at Cannes where it is being compared favorably to Ronny Yu’s BRIDE WITH WHITE HAIR.

TEKKEN 6 [VG] – Trailer

TEKKEN is another hot video game franchise-turned feature film coming soon. It recently completed production under the direction of Dwight H. Little. It stars Luke Goss (HELLBOY 2), Chiaki Kuriyama (KILL BILL: VOL. I), and a mess of talented fighters such as Cung Le, Gary Daniels and Jon Foo to name a few.

Little’s filmography doesn’t say much about what we can expect from him when it comes to fighting action but parkour and freestyle martial arts master Cyril Raffaelli (DISTRICT B13) is coordinating the fights so it should be interesting to see what he puts together.

ONIMUSHA 3 [VG] – Trailer

In early development is a live-action version of ONIMUSHA with BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF director Christophe Gans attached and Takeshi Kaneshiro expected to fill the main role. Kaneshiro is an appropriate choice since Capcom modeled the main character in the video game franchise after the multi-lingual star. The series and its already cinematic style should adapt easily to film under Gans capable hands. Gans did wonders for his version of SILENT HILL.

Interestingly, Capcom previously hired Donnie Yen to choreograph digital action for ONIMUSHA 3 (2004). No word yet on who might direct the live-action choreography. According to Dark Horizons, the production was put on indefinite hold so we’ll just have to wait and see.

PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIME [VG] – Trailer

Mike Newell (HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE) is directing a PRINCE OF PERSIA: SANDS OF TIME adaptation off a script by Jordon Mechner, the creator of the original video game series. I have faith in Newell, who also directed Donnie Brasco and several YOUNG INDIANA JONES series episodes, to be able to pull off something competent. Jerry Bruckheimer as producer has me a little worried though.

Variety reports that Jake Gyllenhaal will star in the Disney production with Gemma Arterton in the lead female slot.

“Gyllenhaal will play Dastan, a young prince in sixth century Persia who must join forces with Tamina, a feisty and exotic princess, to prevent a villainous nobleman from possessing the Sands of Time, a gift from the gods that can reverse time and allow its possessor to rule the world.”

Highly stylized and cinematic swordplay action is at the heart of this franchise. If Newell can keep it grounded in reality, as opposed to using CGI doubles like we see in SPIDER-MAN, this could be good. Then again, look what happened to TOMB RAIDER, another puzzle and adventure-themed adaptation.

STREET FIGHTER IV [VG] – Trailer

STREET FIGHTER: THE LEGEND OF CHUN-LI is coming from DOOM director Andrzej Bartkowiak. With a relatively modest budget of $50 million this film looks to be the little brother of its pricy cohorts. Some familiar faces in the genre film arena are present including Michael Clarke Duncan (DAREDEVIL) as Balrog, Neal McDonough (WALKING TALL) as General Bison, Robin Shou (MORTAL KOMBAT) as Gen, Josie Ho (TWINS EFFECT) as Cantana, and Cheng Pei-pei (COME DRINK WITH ME) as Zhilan. Hong Kong vet Dion Lam is on duty as fight choreographer.

More sequels of existing video game-to-movie franchises are coming. A new MORTAL KOMBAT and a fourth RESIDENT EVIL are tentatively scheduled for 2010. I’m sure I left something out but with all the comic book adaptations on the way as well, this should be enough to chew on for a while.

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  • PsiKnifeKFT

    Great story here, Mark. Some of these look to be excellent, and certainly in the case of Onimusha in particular, are coming from a phenomenal series, both well received and well reviewed as the impetus to create a feature lemgth movie. I remember scrambling in desperation to get my hands on the PC version of Demon Siege after finding out it had only been released in Japan. That was one move many Onimusha fans never quite let Capcom live down at their forums.

    I think with Prince of Persia it was only matter of time, the conception of this movie was virtually a foregone conclusion from the outset given the level of its global popularity, and certainly the production of this one of the lot looks to be the most “funded”.

    The way King of Fighters looks to play out should be interesting as well.

  • http://N/A Bruce Darren Acosta

    Christophe Gans,Samuel Hadida and Capcom alone with with Japanese production companies will adapt the Onimusha movie but they need to rewrite the script and the plot that they done on the internet sites last year to redo it again to follow the plot from the first game.
    Takeshi Kaneshiro will reprise as Samanosuke and maybe other cast
    like Ana Yeto as Kaede,Shin Koyamada as a Samurai warrior and Satomi Isihara as Princess Yuki.

    The films plot will follow the story on Onimusha Warlords
    Thank you.
    BRUCE ACOSTA
    AUSTRALIA.