Game or film would be bad enough. Both together would be like multiplying zeroes. The Movie Blog drops word of Boll's latest ambition, which is confusingly titled Bloodrayne 3: Warhammer. Yeah, I have no idea what that means, either, except maybe a C&D in the mail from Mythic Entertainment? Kirstanna Loken is said to be back in the lead role.

I couldn't track down what The Movie Blog was sourcing but this post says this movie will begin filming in January. Which means it'll be finished in February. Or at least look like it.

Uwe Boll to Bring Us Bloodrayne 3: Warhammer [The Movie Blog via Joystiq]

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Turner pitched the movie to Sony Pictures, which pre-emptively caught it, and the studio is now working out a deal for rights to adapt the game into a major motion picture. The Arad's are set to produce, just as they are producing the Uncharted: Drake's Fortune feature film.

As for Sheldon's take on the game, his comments are nothing if not heartening to fans of the Sucker Punch-developed, free-roaming superhero title.

"What excited me most about the game was it was the first of which I've come across that had a big idea and a character arc," Turner said. "It is, I believe, the future of gaming. The game, while big and fun, is at its core a love ballad to the underachiever, which is what our hero, Cole McGrath, is."

An underachiever who turns himself around rather quickly, but he certainly seems to have a firm grasp. Between that and the fact that the main character is so bland that any actor with a shaved head can play him, and we might have a winner here.

Scribe takes on 'inFAMOUS' [THR via Empire - Thanks Ris!]

Industry Gamers examined the highest grossing game movies and found that, while most made millions of dollars, their average Metacritic score hit about 35. Which is just south of "atrocious." Which is a million miles from getting the genre north of "120-minute advertisement."

Go back through this trail-of-tears slideshow and ask yourself why, now, some video game movie, even based on a critically acclaimed title, might finally be less of an insult to your intelligence, this year. Especially when we're talking about something like a "big thing in space", in the hands of Transformers' producer.

From the Little Screen to the Big Screen [Industry Gamers]

IGN talked to Lorenzo di Bonaventura, also responsible for such tours de force as Transformers, G.I. Joe and Doom, and asked why a 1979 vector-graphics shooter starring a space fighter, two different UFOs and three different sizes of rocks was worth a four-way bidding war.

I was attracted to Asteroids, plain and simple, because I think what it tells you is that there's going to be this big thing in space.

Yes. Go on.

We've crafted a really strong, deep mythology for the thing. Without divulging too much about it, it's two lead characters - two brothers - who have to go through a seminal experience to figure out their relationship, against this huge backdrop.

Come on, goddammit, this is fucking Asteroids, not "My Dinner With Andre" in space.

Well you'd better have some guys in spaceships blowing stuff up or else you haven't honored the fun of Asteroids.

Well, of a story of two brothers, versus explosions and visual effects, which one do you think is going to form the bulk of this film's raison d'etre.

Asteroids Movie Exclusive [IGN via Shacknews]

A Spyro fansite (believe it or not) unearthed the teaser poster for the film at the official website of film sales company Velvet Octopus, showing a large, confident-looking version of everyone's favorite little purple dragon. The film, which we've been telling you about since 2007, found a producer last year in the form of Ash R. Shah, who signed a five-picture deal with Velvet Octopus that included the CGI Spyro feature.

The teaser poster is very bare, with no information other than that the movie exists. The DarkSpyro fan site has the film listed for a December 2009 release, but as far as I can see that's nowhere near official. As far as stars go, the IMDB entry for the film lists Elijah Wood as Spyro and Gary Oldman as Ignitus, but again, nothing official on that front.

So basically, we have an official teaser image, which you can see below. Enjoy it, as it could wind up being the only good thing about the movie.

Spyro the Dragon ... the Movie? [Joystiq]

Velvet Octopus has a five-pic deal with producer Ash Shah, which includes two more 3-D projects, both CGI animated — "Outback," the story of a white koala bear, and "The Legend of Spyro," a spin-off from the best-selling video game.

Lichtenstein to direct 3-D action pic [Variety]

"We are really excited to be working with Film Roman to create an animated feature that will tell the portion of the Dead Space saga between the comic and game," said Glen Schofield, Executive Producer for Dead Space. "With the video game, comic book and now animated movie, Dead Space has become a true multimedia brand.

EA and Starz Media Join to Produce Animated Dead Space Movie

Feature Based on Highly Anticipated Video Game Is First Project Between Starz Media and Electronic Arts

BURBANK, Calif. & REDWOOD CITY, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) and Starz Media announced today the development of an animated movie prequel to the highly anticipated sci-fi survival horror game Dead Space™. The companies also have animation projects in development for two other EA franchises. The relationship kicks off with this Dead Space prelude that will deliver new details on the horrifying tale the game will unleash this Halloween.

The script for the Dead Space animated feature picks up the plot where the original comic book series ends and leads up to the beginning of the Dead Space game. The story focuses on the events aboard a futuristic mining spaceship, the USG Ishimura, after it pulls a mysterious artifact from a remote dig site. The artifact triggers the sudden invasion of a long-dormant alien presence, and the Ishimura's crewmembers find themselves locked in a frantic struggle to survive. The animated feature is slated to premiere at the same time as the game is launched.

This project signals both companies' belief that mass-appeal games provide opportunities for new and exciting programming in a variety of different media. This announcement comes at a time when the video game industry is valued at more than $30 billion worldwide for packaged goods, wireless and online games in calendar year 2007 and game-inspired entertainment is pervasive in movie theaters, on TV and across online media.

Starz Media is currently in discussions with broadcasters worldwide that have already expressed interest in airing Dead Space, which is scheduled to be released via broadcast TV and then on DVD. The company will launch international sales of the animated feature at the upcoming MIP-TV market in Cannes, France. Starz Media will also market the movie through its home entertainment company Anchor Bay Entertainment, as well as via online and wireless distributors.

The deal with Starz Media and its animation unit Film Roman reflects EA's growing commitment to developing filmed entertainment projects based on the company's games. For Film Roman, the venerable animation company behind "The Simpsons," "King of the Hill" and the pre-school hit "Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!," the booming video game business is fertile territory for developing new hit movies and series.

"Due to the richness and complexity of stories that have evolved for video games, they have become a type of entertainment that can span generations and provide fantastic inspiration for other forms of media; especially in the realm of animated features," Film Roman President and COO Scott Greenberg said. "We're particularly thrilled to be starting off with Dead Space."

"We are really excited to be working with Film Roman to create an animated feature that will tell the portion of the Dead Space saga between the comic and game," said Glen Schofield, Executive Producer for Dead Space. "With the video game, comic book and now animated movie, Dead Space has become a true multimedia brand. Each of these elements delivers the story to new audiences and tells it from different aspects and perspectives."

Film Roman is producing "Dead Space" in alliance with Digital Tetra Inc., in Korea. The Gotham Group of Los Angeles, a leading animation representation company, helped put the production arrangement together.

Under development at EA Redwood Shores, Dead Space is not yet rated by PEGI or ESRB. For more information about the game, go to the website at www.deadspacegame.com.

Hasbro Inc. (HAS) and Universal Pictures formed a six-year strategic partnership to produce at least four motion pictures based on brands such as Monopoly, Candy Land, Ouija, Battleship, Magic, the Gathering and Stretch Armstrong.

Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton are said to be in the running to play Kane and Lynch, two escapees from death row - one "a flawed mercenary", the other "a medicated psychopath". The game is due for release next Friday.