Oddworld Coming To The Big Screen
In a recent interview, Lorne Lanning let out some details for the planned film adaptation of Oddworld, one of my favorite franchises ever! I still think it's a shame they didn't get to finish the quintology as it was intended to be, but perhaps there is always hope for them to do one later down the road. Oddworld Inhabitants, according to Lanning, has four projects going on. Here's the word on the projects from the horse's mouth:
I can't really get into them, except you know one of them is the film. I can say that another one is the television series, and we are using game technology on all of them."
He added:
"Oddworld is really, really close to our heart, which is why we chose never to sell it, and we have big plans for it. It may take longer than the fans would like, but I think they'll be happy as long as it is great stuff."
I agree, Lorne. If it's great, I'll love it and I'll love you all even more. It'll be pretty cool to see Abe and friends (I hope that includes Munch and plenty of Fuzzles), their world and visual style realized on the big screen. This will definitely be something to keep an eye on. Now, should the movie follow the games, be completely different or have you got a better idea for a plot? Gas action anyone?
Oddworld at 10 [GI.biz]
[via DarkHorizons]
Super Timsy
Posted to Movies-DVDs, Video Games on 19 November 2007
· Comments (5)
Other stuff like this: lorne lanning, oddworld, oddworld inhabitants
Abe's Oddysee was the first game I got for my Playstation and I loved it, loved Abe's Exodus and was SOOOOO disappointed when Munch's Oddysee went xbox exclusive (I still bought it, had to borrow a mates console to play)...
Cant wait to see what else has been going on in that universe!
sigh, I can't help but feel a little bit disappointed since I was really eager for a Oddworld film back in 1998 when they hyped it up as their goal when they would release the first few games. Yes, I'm happy, but deep down I can't but feel a little bit angry it's taken so long to get this ball rolling.
I'm a big fan of Oddworld, but I share Crithon's mixed feelings, especially after the whole post-Stranger shakeup. I really wish that they would get back into actively creating games.
Lanning has frequently talked about his experiences and disagreements with processes used in the industry currently, but I'm still not convinced that making films and tv shows (where there are a greater number of outside influences with money strings attached) is the solution.
Maybe making big huge multi-million dollar games aren't something that Oddworld shouldn't pursue now, fine. How about smaller games with reasonable budgets that push the creative envelope elsewhere, like XBLA games or the episodic Sam and Max? How about crafting something that emotionally connects with players without relying on the latest and greatest graphics, like on a Wii/DS game? There are plenty of ways for developers to create something new and exciting without going into the red.
It's easy for him to complain about getting screwed on his last game (because he did get screwed by EA), but I'm failing to see how something done in their Oddworld-style is going to benefit from being made as a movie first with the hopes of getting it made into a game. Abe, Munch, and even Stranger struck a cord with sizable cult following. But forget about making a game for a moment; even if all of those fans showed up for a movie [self-included], would the returns justify the money spent in order to make it into a game? Last time I checked weird and quirky adult themed cg animation still plays to a limited audience.
Those games were DISTURBING: vivisection and mudocons (SP?) getting turned into spam... and they were bloody too.
I loved those games for their dark heart and ugly-cute critters with Marxist revolutionary ideology. I would adore a movie, so ling as they maintained the soul-crushing bleakness... gotta have the bleakness.
Hey-yah,
An Oddworld movie would be good, but I miss the games, dang-nabbit. I especially was looking forward to the one about the albino Slig forced to flee and fend for itself in the Oddworld wilderness...