Resi Evil film director to work on games

By Ellie Gibson Published 22 April, 2010

Buck Rogers tie-in possible, says Anderson.

Movie director Paul W. S. Anderson has said he may be turning his attention to games as well as films in the future.

Anderson is best known for bringing the Resident Evil series to the big screen. However, "In the future I want to be developing intellectual properties that will occupy both spaces simultaneously," he told MTV.

"I've been actively involved in the gaming world for 15 years now, talking to developers ever since 'Mortal Kombat', so I think I have a very good appreciation for what their needs and what their concerns are. I think I really do know how to join the two medias together in a successful way, and that's what I'll be working on in the next few years."

Anderson's future projects include a movie based on sci-fi classic Buck Rogers - and it seems like there could be a videogame tie-in on the way too. "Buck Rogers is something that's starting from ground zero right now, so that's definitely something that I would be considering doing," Anderson said. "Really my approach to bridging the two medias is from Buck onwards."

The Buck Rogers movie is down for a release in 2011.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (39) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • laharl80 #1 2 years ago

    Christ on a bicycle please don't!!!!

  • Bitkari #2 2 years ago

    Medias.

  • Armoured_Gideon #3 2 years ago

    Good God. Someone lock this guy in a room with some dot matrix paper and some crayons, and just let the world carry on, blissfully, without him.

  • Markitron #4 2 years ago

    I thought the first mortal kombat film was ok (I suppose its because I was ten when I saw it) Especially compared to the street fighter movie

  • CaptainQuint #5 2 years ago

    This guy makes shite movies, but the original AvP remains for me, a big guilty pleasure. Ace beer movie.

  • andywilkie35 #6 2 years ago

    I imagine that this means that Milla Jovovich or whatever the fuck her name is will be moving into games as well? Seeing as she only gets work in things that her husband is involved in, because noone else will hire a plank of wood.

  • Paperghost #7 2 years ago

    "I've been actively involved in the gaming world for 15 years now"

    And still there's nothing to show for it.

  • nuanimal #8 2 years ago

    Hopefully the new Buck Rogers film will still have the charm of a 70s softcore porno like the TV series did.

  • MarcusJ #9 2 years ago

    "In the future I want to be developing intellectual properties that will occupy both spaces simultaneously."
    The bargain bin and the pre-owned basket?

  • mashk #10 2 years ago

    Bastard. He's going to be raking it in With all that money, I bet he'll get himself a brand new car. That looks like a Jaguar. With leather seats and a CD player, player, player. But I don't want to talk about it anymore.

    He also gets to knob Milla Jovovich. Life's not fair.

  • bad09 #11 2 years ago

    Wait...they're remaking Buck Rogers? \o/

    Wait... Anderson is doing it? :(

  • Gambit1977 #12 2 years ago

    What a fucking bellend.

  • schnide #13 2 years ago

    "I think I really do know how to join the two medias together in a successful way.."

    Maybe you could start by making something good in one media first? You know, walk before you can run and all that.

  • geeza2020 #14 2 years ago

    uh oh spaghetti-ohs!!

  • Golgo #15 2 years ago

    making shite movie-game tie-ins does not suggest "actively involved in the game industry", not to me anyway.
    Edited by Golgo at 22/04/10 @ 10:31

  • AnsemsApprentice #16 2 years ago

    This isn't about the article but I must say, the members on Eurogamer are fucking awesome. All the comments are witty, funny and make the right people look like total assholes. Open minded gamers with good taste! Seriously, The Resident Evil movies make Street Fighter look like The Shawshank Redemption though, I don't get how he's lasted this long, who funds this guy? I bet Uwe Boll teases him about Mortal Kombat.

  • Doctor_What #17 2 years ago

    Casting the Highlander as Raiden? That was genius and you're all too afraid to admit it :)

    I actually really like the first Mortal Kombat film - it's highly enjoyable tosh. The second one is just tosh, mind you.

  • mushroomyakuza #18 2 years ago

    I'm actually starting to feel sorry for this guy.

    Oh no, wait, he shags Milla Jolovich. Fuck him.

  • alimokrane #19 2 years ago

    Oh come on! The first Resident Evil movie wasnt THAT bad. Why is it that when a movie based on a game is mentioned, the default attitude is to hate?

  • AnsemsApprentice #20 2 years ago

    Can you name a movie based on a game that...doesn't deserve hate? Resident Evil was a cliche, shiny, gun toting, zombie killing, cheesey line driven pile of piss that was less innovative than Saddam Husseins execution video imo.

  • Kami #21 2 years ago

    "Can you name a movie based on a game that...doesn't deserve hate?"

    I can name a couple of reasonable attempts. Let's face it, Silent Hill did a pretty stellar job of bringing the series into the realm of movies, it wasn't perfect but it was certainly not bad, so much so I think the sequel may actually be something to look forward to. Mortal Kombat, cheesefest but WHAT a cheesefest! Then you have Tomb Raider, good movies with Angelina Jolie in a series of skintight catsuits and bikinis. Oh, and Advent Children as well - I quite enjoyed Spirits Within but that story required people to think about things, which not many enjoy doing, so let's just go with Advent Children.

    edit; I think most of us would also throw Dead or Alive in here, again it's not a great movie but hey, it's Dead or Alive and they know EXACTLY why we're watching the movie... a wet, nearly naked Holly Valance...

    But there are really shit movies of games out there - Max Payne, Resident Evil, Street Fighter - so the ratio is still more shite than anything enjoyable...
    Edited by Kami at 22/04/10 @ 12:01

  • schnide #22 2 years ago

    @Kami

    I think you're stretching things there even then.

  • AnsemsApprentice #23 2 years ago

    @Kami I agree with Silent Hill, the mood was very faithfully recreated and the acting wasn't terrible but not Advent Children. It was directed by Tetsuya Nomura so, there is a huge advantage there having the original guy. It's odd because I got it on Blu ray today and it wasn't as good as I remember...Japanese VA is top and the fights are beautifully choreographed but the story was extremely loose and didn't go anywhere near the level I wanted. I think if all of the adaptations were animated like FFVII, there would be a much higher rate of success. Real actors just don't cut it, live action anyway. Just because they hold the same names as beloved series, doesn't make them good. People don't take games seriously enough in the media, that's the real reason.

  • Kami #24 2 years ago

    Well, yeah, I'm stretching it. But they're perfectly servicable movies, neither awesome nor shite, and to be fair - if a movie of a game can even reach barely watchable then it's a resounding success. I think the best example is Silent Hill, whilst it had some "What the f...?!" moments and Sean Bean was about as convincing as a condom dispenser in the Vatican - the plot was actually pretty sound and, for the most part, FELT like a Silent Hill story. Considering how Silent Hill has always been story and atmosphere driven over any voice acting talent, it was going to be the one transition that made sense anyway.

    The majority are shit but there is a large chunk of movies of games which are watchable without inducing suicidal tendancies.*

    * Disclaimer; Of course, we do not in this statement include or endorse anything by Paul Anderson or Uwe Boll.

    note; I actually liked Spirits Within for the story, but Advent Children for the animation. Neither are oscar-worthy, none of the movies I mentioned are, but that isn't the point - you can watch those movies and they're perfectly okay and won't induce a coma or raging hate at the state of the world.
    Edited by Kami at 22/04/10 @ 12:18

  • AnsemsApprentice #25 2 years ago

    Yeah Fair Comment. I just like some real DEPTH from a game to movie you know? Certain fields should be as good as in the game, which is a much more limited medium than movies (Budget Wise) Concept artists can go mad in game development though so, movies are limited to a point aswell. If game developers can make something amazing from that, a decent director could too. Silent hill is definately the best, when you hear the siren and the paint starts peeling off into the atmosphere it is pretty darn faithful. Don't forget the skin rip, OH YEAH!
    Edited by AnsemsApprentice at 22/04/10 @ 12:25

  • Kami #26 2 years ago

    True, but then, some of these movies you have to look at the source material. Tomb Raider - well, back then Core Design was still heading things and they didn't even know what to do with Lara, so they just went for an actiony flick with Angelina Jolie in a series of kick-ass outfits. Resident Evil, well, the first movie was OKAY and I will maintain the first movie was OKAY, but from that point on it's been pure grade-A horse manure. Dead or Alive, well, it's a fighting game. And it's main claim to fame was semi-clad ladies, so again, you were never going to walk in expecting an epic on the scale of Dances with Wolves. You got an action game set in a fighting tournament with some sexy girls duking it out in various locales, including in water, and that's probably as much as you can expect from the source material really.

    I do think that we're finally seeing some more solid movies of games. Prince of Persia looks halfway decent. And in production still are things like Clock Tower (I pray it's based on the original SNES title!), Bioshock (Big surprise I know...), and of course, the next big game movie Kane and Lynch - now with the leads cast, Jamie Foxx as Lynch and Bruce Willis back to badass form as Kane.

    All balanced out by the sad realisation they're working on a movie script of God of War... someone, please, stop them doing this...

  • Shakey_Jake33 #27 2 years ago

    As long as he doesn't touch Resi. I might not be too keen on the direction the series is going in, but the last thing we need is his input.

    Mind you, I liked Event Horizon.

  • TravisTouchdown #28 2 years ago

    Wilma Dearing. Were it to come to a choice, Princess Leia - and Milla Jolovich for that matter - can sling it.

  • VibratingDonkey #29 2 years ago

    People talk but then it always turns to shit anyway.

  • AnsemsApprentice #30 2 years ago

    Find Beauty In the Dissonance!

  • telboy007 #31 2 years ago

    Soldier, Event Horizon, AvP, Resi Evil - they were alll enjoyable films. You're never going to get an Oscar winner with Anderson but they're all watchable films.

  • green_nifta #32 2 years ago

    He came in to pitch a game idea at a publisher I worked at a few years back. He had a few one-page treatments and some ropey concept art and was demanding millions for it.

  • Acrid #33 2 years ago

    Is it just me or did not one word of that make any sense?

  • Huxamalay #34 2 years ago

    Facepalm

    Please, FFS, stop letting him direct films

  • Invisible_Cow #35 2 years ago

    Who in the gaming industry would work for this man?

  • ProGrasTiNation #36 2 years ago

    This guy ruined a good chance to make a good resi movie
    Please stay away from games for the sake of the children

  • ReapingAngel #37 2 years ago

    OK first off, Paul Anderson once said: People don't go to the cinema to watch actual replication of videogames on the big screen.

    Wake up call bud: when you are creating a movie based on a game, 3/4 of your target audience are gamers. So 'EPIC FAIL' in that area of movie direction. Lets take it from the top:

    Mortal Kombat: Good storyline, rubbish acting, average movie. Decent effort. This is where things went downhill for gamers and Paul Anderson's head hit ninth cloud.

    Resident Evil: Decent Effort. Replicated the essence of the game. Survival Horror. But things went wrong when Paul decided to introduce original characters with Alice ending up to be such an imbalanced character who can survive without even trying.

    Resident Evil: Apocolypse: WTH? Whatever happened to the epic confrontation between Jill and Nemesis? Got replaced by Alice (nothing against Milla, just the character). And don't get me started on Extinction. What a load of rubbish.

    If Paul would have given the movies an original game instead of the name of a successful game franchise, he would have enjoyed more respect from gamers than he is enjoying right now. A classic example is Resident Evil:Degenerations. Developed by an external studio that worked closely with Capcom, their reward was a movie that was billed as Resident Evil 4.5 Now thats effort and a brilliant result.

    For the record here are some names of movies based on videogames that were enjoyable:

    -Final Fantasy VII: advent Children
    -Final Fantasy: The Spirits within
    -Resident Evil Degenerations
    -Halo: Legends (The Package was awesome)

    Moral of the story is: if you want to make a GOOD movie based on games, work closely with the developers and create a 3D animated movie that looks like their game counterparts.
    Edited by ReapingAngel at 22/04/10 @ 22:15

  • GooseUK #38 2 years ago

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2dXiqIRc...

    Anyone who ruins these memories, I will find and kill. TO DEATH.

  • djed #39 2 years ago

    Good videogame to good movie:
    Postal