"Colossus" Movie Writer Says: Give This One A Chance

Shadow of the Colossus

When the news broke that Shadow of the Colossus would become a movie, most weren't too enthusiastic about the idea. In fact, many fans of the innovative PS2 title were downright disgusted.

Why? We all know why: Hollywood butchers great games. But in a recent interview with Risky Biz, "Colossus" film writer Justin Marks is asking everyone to give him a chance. He says it comes down to selecting the right game for a movie adaptation, and although we still have difficulty imagining a SotC feature film, the important thing is that Marks sees potential. As he said:

"I think many of the games haven't worked as movies because it's hard to find the right game. There are very few that lend themselves to movies. If we started thinking that anything that worked in one medium shouldn't be adapted for another we wouldn't have a lot of the great movies we've had, because so many of them came from novels."

"Colossus" is being produced by Kevin Misher and one of the primary stumbling blocks will be the game's lack of intricate storyline and dialogue. But Marks says it gives him the opportunity to build on a foundation, which means we may get a very interesting script that remains faithfully grounded in the SotC universe. Added Marks:

"With a lot of games there are so many elements in the universe you spend your time tearing down and tearing down. What's nice about this game is that it's so sparse so you can start building right away." He added that he understood fan's concerns that a studio might be tempted to add Hollywood flourishes like a cheesy sidekick but that he would strenuously avoid those cliches."

Essentially, because he has more of a blank slate, Marks may be able to produce something that appeals to both the avid fans and the mainstream audience. He says the game is "seen through such an adult lens, so that what pleases the fans pleases a wider audience," so it might not be an automatic box office failure. Fact is, the vast majority of the mainstream public will have no idea that "Shadow of the Colossus" is based on a video game. ...and that could really be a huge benefit.

Related Game(s): Shadow of the Colossus

4/9/2009 Ben Dutka

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