A Film License that Shouldn't Have been Passed On

[bapenguin]

According to Andrew MacDonald, producer of the cult classic 28 Day Later (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0289043/), numerous video game companies like Electronic Arts (http://www.ea.com) and Sony (http://www.sony.com) turned down the opportunity to make a video game tie in to the movie.According to MacDonald, none of the publishers he spoke to were interested in picking up the title - and while many independent developers were keen, they needed his firm to pay for the development costs of the game, a move which DNA Films was unprepared to make.

That's a shame really. Though the game would probably do better in the hands of an independant developer.

[Bydo_Empire]

Not too surprising. The only reasons to make a game based on a film license are to latch on to the film's huge marketing budget, or if it's a long-standing, well-known movie or franchise. Yes, I'm aware of the few exceptions like The Warriors. A cult hit really doesn't have either of those going for it... at least now. The danger (and publishers are realizing it) is that these days movies are big for a weekend then fall way, way off. So if you invest multiple years in a movie tie-in game, you're taking a lot of risk that the movie may tank, or even if it's a hit you've only got a few weeks of time when people are interested enough in the movie to buy the game it's based on.

[lost]

28 Days Later was good but it was hardly original.

I mean you could basically make the game of the movie and the copyrighters would struggle to see it.

[Grimgrock]

A game based on the 28 Days Later universe could take place after the characters from the movie are (presumably) rescued by the RAF. I could see squad-based rage-infected-dead-people-killing action. Just an idea.

Edit: removed references to zombies.

I also think this would be better in the hands of an independent developer. But I'll go one step further and say it should be a European developer so as to give it additional authenticity.

Are there any truly independent AAA studios left?

[Ernst_Jager]

In my opinion there aren't enough good games based around this idea. I always thought a good RPG or even a smaller scale (think GW) MMO based around this idea could be awesome if done correct. Where the goal is more survival and rescue of other survivors.

[Kefkataran]

As with any film license, it could've made a terrible video game, but I also could see it having been great.

[cppcrusader]

That was definitely a license that needed to be passed on.

[jacktion]

I was confused by the title. I thought you were saying that 28 Days Later was bad because it shouldn't be "passed on" as an inheritance is from one person to another. Like it was so bad that it should just stop where it is. That is probably just me though. It would make an awesome game. You start in a hospital room in a totally empty city. Then you start seeing zombies and more and more appear and you have to survive and get to a location far away. Meeting up with people and surviving. It would be sweet.

Independent is spelled with three Es.

[critch]

Good. No more shit EA licensed games.

By the by, 28 days later was one of the few movies I walked out on.

[Heretic Machine]

I loved the movie.

And they were fucking zombies.

[drakkarim]

i enjoyed the movie, but definitely wouldn't spend even $10 on any game of it. or any of those types of games for that matter.

[Tia]

I would have loved Shaun of the Dead game a lot more than 28 days later. Now that would have been fun.

[Sloth]

Eh 28 Days Later was an ok movie. I doubt i'd want to play a game based on it. I mean its just another zombie type movie where the zombies move fast. I think that new Zombie game whose name escapes me but you can put hats on the zombies and such looks really good.

[ÜberJumper]

Dead Rising Sloth.

[xcalibur]

On a semi-related note... was there ever a game made based on "Shaun of the Dead". Great movie. Would be a fun(ny) game, if done right.

-X

[Kefkataran]

A Shaun of the Dead game is a surprisingly good idea as well. A zombie game with a bit more funny. That could be good.

[SexualChoc]

It could of been good, it could of been bad. The premise was great, shame no one gave it a shot.

[thecrazyd]

A Shaun of the Dead game is a surprisingly good idea as well. A zombie game with a bit more funny. That could be good.
Ron Gilbert was asked in an interview, "If you could make a game based on any license, what license would it be?" He chose Shaun of the Dead.

[Kefkataran]

Why the hell doesn't someone give Ron Gilbert that game NOW then?

[dena miscreant]

A Shaun of the Dead game is a surprisingly good idea as well. A zombie game with a bit more funny. That could be good.


I think Dead Rising has some of the humor we're talking about here... closest to Shaun of the Dead that I've seen, for sure. Remember when they throw plates and stuff at the zombie in the backyard?

:D

28 Days Later was pretty good, I thought. I wouldn't see myself playing the game, though.

[dena miscreant]

As far as Ron Gilbert, I loved Maniac Mansion and the Monkey Island games! Total Annhilation was awesome, too.

But why Backyard Sports games, Ron? Why?

EDIT: Oh, and I haven't played any Pajama Sam or Freddi Fish.

[gawaintheblind]

I can't see myself playing a 28 days later game either. But the movie was all kinds of awsome.

A squad based zombie vs soldier game would be pretty fun I think. Id like to mow down zombies with a machine gun once in a while, instead of being limited to a knife or pistol or whatever.