PlayStation's Evolution Beyond Gaming: From Video Games to Movies
- Ishani Yadav
- August 25, 2023 (UPDATED: August 31, 2023 11:41 IST)
PlayStation's evolution from a gaming platform to a creative force in movies. Discover the transformation of video game adaptations, from past disappointments to recent successes like Uncharted and Sonic.
Although gaming is still PlayStation's main source of income, the company has evolved beyond its origins as a simple gaming platform. Lacklustre attempts have tarnished the reputation of the video game-to-movie adaptation genre for years, with films like Alone in the Dark, House of the Dead, and Silent Hill: Revelation (2012) contributing to this problem.
Resident Evil has also come under scrutiny. But there is a ray of light in the form of "A Keeper's Diary: A Biohazard Story," an intriguing fan film starring Charlie Kraslavsky as the original Chris Redfield. Refocus, nevertheless.
Large-scale video game adaptations like Sonic the Hedgehog, Detective Pikachu, and Silent Hill (2006) have thankfully helped to reverse the trend in recent years. The upcoming "The Last of Us" HBO series also contributes to this momentum.
Sony's production company, PlayStation Productions, hopes to further capitalise on the possibility of turning its extensive collection of intellectual property (IP) into movies by building on the success of the 2022 Uncharted movie starring Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg.
Enter the venerable MediEvil series, which debuted on the original PlayStation and was updated for the PS4 in 2019. Although there hasn't been any official confirmation, excitement was sparked when a keen-eyed fan noticed what appeared to be Sir Daniel Fortesque's distinctive legs in a video on the PlayStation Productions website. Fortesque is the zombie protagonist of MediEvil.
Of again, the sight of Sir Daniel's legs might just be a coincidence. When the tweet gathered popularity and was shared by authors Ben Mekler and Chris Amick, the suspense increased. Could this be a hint that they will be involved in a movie? The solution lies in time. The sentiment expressed by Twitter user Radec is valid if a MediEvil movie is made: an animated adaption would be a great fit.
A formal announcement from Sony may be forthcoming in the next months if these rumours of a MediEvil movie are accurate. A PlayStation Showcase event might be the venue for a shocking announcement; it would be the perfect setting for such a reveal.