At this stage in the game, the "video game movie" genre is basically one of the most mysterious in Hollywood. From Super Mario Brothers in 1993 to Silent Hill: Revelation 3D in 2012, the genre has yet to produce a single title that has managed to win any real critical acclaim - even when the film is based on a critically acclaimed game. There are still a number of opportunities for a turn around in the future, with Assassins Creed, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell and Need For Speed all getting set to come out in theaters within the next year, and now another feature has been added to that list of potential victories. The Last Of Us, the well-received Playstation 3 game first released last year, has joined the list of upcoming video game films with a deal developing between Screen Gems and Naughty Dog, the game developer.
The game is set in the United States in the year 2033, 20 years after the devastating outbreak of a deadly virus. The story follows a young man named Joel who has been tasked with taking care of a Ellie - a young girl who may be the key to curing the virus. They trek across the country trying to reach a resistance group known as the Fireflies, but along the way must defend themselves from the infected as well as criminals and cannibals. If you're curious about the tone of the film, all you have to do is look at who is signed on to produce: Sam Raimi and his horror label Ghost House Pictures. Basically, expect this movie to be filled with at least a few scares. To get a better sense of what you can expect from the movie, you can watch the game trailer below:
The news of the developing film was announced in a press release sent over to Coming Soon, which also has a statement from Naughty Dog's Co-President Evan Wells:
"Our partnership with Sam Raimi, Ghost House Pictures, and Screen Gems to develop a film based on The Last of Us universe is a perfect fit. Since our game released last June, we've talked with many companies about making a film, but we couldn't have found better partners who share our creative vision and high standards. We look forward to collaborating with Sam, his team, and Screen Gems, to make a movie that will thrill fans of The Last of Us and general audiences worldwide."
The question becomes whether or not The Last of Us will be the film that is ultimately able to lift the video game movie curse. Do you think it has a shot?
