Sometimes Comic Books get made into Movies. Sometimes Movies get made into video games. Sometimes Video Games get made into movies. Well in the case of Dead Space, the yet to be released video game is being made at the same time as the movie, which will follow up after the comic book.
Starz’ Film Roman unit is producing a film that serves as a prequel to the game, picking up where a comic that is being made by Image Comics leaves off.
“Dead Space” is part of a larger deal between the two companies. Starz has two other animation projects in development tied to EA franchises.
Starz is in talks with broadcasters worldwide to distribute the pic on TV and will also put it out on DVD through its Anchor Bay subsid and online.
Now the plot of this movie is that after hearing a distress call from an industrial space mining vessel, the main characters respond expecting to undertake repairs. What they find out instead is that the industrial complex has been over run by aliens.
I think I liked this plot back when Ridley Scott did Alien. However this time instead of the mining facility responding to a distress call, they are responding to a distress call on a mining facility. Alien baddies show up, shooting and running and guts, oh my! Yup. Been there.
As always, I remain skeptical as to any video game turned movie. Even if the movie is going to be direct to DVD (and possibly TV) and especially when they attempt to make the movie for a game that has yet to be released.
Video Game movies have one thing going for them: Built in Audience. People have some inkling to see the movie if they are a fan of the game. This looks more like they are pumping the multi format angle to advertise for itself.
