<![CDATA[Kotaku: Movie Games]]> http://cache.gawker.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/kotaku.com.png <![CDATA[Kotaku: Movie Games]]> http://kotaku.com/tag/movie games http://kotaku.com/tag/movie games <![CDATA[ Prince Caspian Game Gets Exclusive Movie Scenes ]]> Disney Interactive Studios has announced that the video game of the film for the book The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian will contain two exclusive scenes that don't appear in the theatrical release of the film. The live action shots, filmed on location in Prague during the movie shoot, connect the first and second movies together by having Dr. Cornelius explaining to Caspian how Narnia fell to the Telmarines hundreds of years ago. The exclusive clips are two of the sixteen live-action clips appearing in the game.

"The special filmed content that is exclusive to the video game provides insight into Narnia and the events around the 'Prince Caspian' story like nothing else," said Andrew Adamson. "With movie fans' enthusiasm for unique experiences in video games as well, these scenes are ideal to complement the 'Prince Caspian' game's action."
It almost sounds as if they included the clips in the game that were then cut from the film, but we'll run with the whole 'special filmed content' bit. As long as they maintain the quality of the last title we'll be fine either way.
Disney Interactive Studios Introduces Original Scenes Exclusive to Disney/Walden Media's the Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Video Game Ben Barnes Reprises Role as Prince Caspian in Two Live Action Filmed Segments

BURBANK, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Fans of The Chronicles of Narnia will get to experience two unique film scenes only one way - on their home consoles or Windows-based PC. Disney Interactive Studios announced today that two original scenes for Disney/Walden Media's The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian video game were filmed exclusively for the product and appear separately from the film. The unique scenes link The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and Prince Caspian stories with Dr. Cornelius (Vincent Grass) telling Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes) the story of how Narnia fell to the Telmarines hundreds of years ago.

The scenes were shot on the film set in Prague, Czech Republic, during principal shooting and feature dialogue revealing plot based on the events of the book, game and film. The creation of the live action content was directed by Andrew Adamson, the film's director. The two original scenes are part of 18 live action moments in the game, which include 16 excerpts from the feature film.

"The special filmed content that is exclusive to the video game provides insight into Narnia and the events around the 'Prince Caspian' story like nothing else," said Andrew Adamson. "With movie fans' enthusiasm for unique experiences in video games as well, these scenes are ideal to complement the 'Prince Caspian' game's action."

The England-based game production and development teams worked in cooperation with the London-based film crew and Andrew Adamson to assure the game's overall accuracy to the film. Capturing two original scenes was only possible through the collaborative partnership between Disney Interactive Studios; and Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media.

"The close partnerships we maintain with our film division and Walden Media allowed us to utilize the cast, crew and set to create two unique scenes exclusively for the video game," said Ed Bainbridge, vice president of European production, Disney Interactive Studios. "These entertaining and memorable scenes enable us to portray a part of the Narnia history that is drawn from the fiction and played out in the game."

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian video game will be available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, the Wii™ home video game system, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and Windows-based PC. A separate Nintendo DS™ version will also be available.

Developed by Traveller's Tales, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian for home consoles and Windows-based PC takes players throughout Narnia and includes a gameplay level, which is unique from both the novel and the film. The level, which is set between the events of "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe" and "Prince Caspian," takes place at the castle of Cair Paravel and tells the story of how Narnia fell to the Telmarine hordes. In "Prince Caspian," Cair Paravel is seen only as abandoned ruins the Pevensies discover hundreds of years later.

The action/adventure game offers gameplay for one or two players on the same system and drop-in/drop-out features, allowing either player to join the game and leave. With combat, exploration and puzzle solving that extends beyond the film, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is the ideal complement to the movie-going experience. The game features more than 20 playable characters including the ability to play as Prince Caspian. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian console game is the sequel to The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe for consoles, which received the prestigious IGN.com Editor's Choice Award.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian for Nintendo DS, which is an action/role playing game, will include the debut of DGamer, Disney Interactive Studios' innovative new technology that provides a fun, connected game community for Disney video game fans. With DGamer, players earn content, interact and chat with others on Nintendo DS through the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection or on a computer through the Disney.com website. DGamer will be offered in North America in future Nintendo DS games from Disney Interactive Studios with a future launch scheduled in other global regions. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian for Nintendo DS and DGamer are being developed by Fall Line Studio, the Nintendo platform-dedicated development studio of Disney Interactive Studios.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian for consoles and Windows PC is rated T for Teen by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and will be available for Xbox 360, the PLAYSTATION 3 system and Wii for $49.99; and the PLAYSTATION 2 system and Windows-based PC for $29.99. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian for the Nintendo DS has an ESRB rating of E10+ for Everyone 10 years and older and will be available for $29.99.

For more information about The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian video game, log on to www.princecaspiangame.com.

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Wed, 23 Apr 2008 08:20:00 MDT Mike Fahey http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=383035&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Brash Teams With Factor 5 For Movie Game ]]> brashlogo.jpgIt looks like Brash Entertainment is trying to set themselves up as the go-to guys for licensed movie games. First they tap Games Republic of Folklore fame for what can only be a Clash of the Titans game, and now Factor 5 has signed on for a movie to game transfer slated for a 2010 release, to be announced at E3 this year. Factor 5 of course is the developer behind the Star Wars: Rogue Squadron series, Lair, and the classic Turrican series. Why are they pulling in the good dev teams for movie translations? President and co-founder of Factor 5 Julian Eggebrecht says it's all about long lead times and creative freedom.
We're already working on a title that is more than two years out, and because the filmmaker is a game fan who is really excited about how we want to expand on the story of the film, we've been given a lot of latitude. It's been really fun to dig deep into this universe.
This is the way movie video games should be made. With the same care and patience as every other game. Let's hope they do something amazing with the time they have.

Brash Entertainment Signs Multi-Game Development Deal With Factor 5

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., March 13 /PRNewswire/ — Brash Entertainment today announced a game development deal with California-based game development studio, Factor 5. Under the terms of the worldwide agreement, the partners will collaborate on an unnamed title releasing in 2010 to be announced around the E3 Expo in July.

In addition to creating the multi-million selling STAR WARS: ROGUE SQUADRON franchise, INDIANA JONES, CONTRA: THE ALIEN WARS, LAIR and the classic TURRICAN franchise, Factor 5 is well respected for driving the technology of games. Factor 5 was a technology partner in the development of Nintendo's Wii and GameCube consoles, provider of the MusyX sound tools, partner in the Sony PlayStation 3 Edge toolset group, and has pioneered many technological advancements in the areas of audio and visuals in video games in collaboration with Dolby Labs, THX, and AMD/ATI.

"We do our due diligence on potential partners; we want to understand their in-house tech, and get to know their team and its capabilities. Factor 5 has a solid track record in creating licensed games that, in combination with their technology expertise, makes them an ideal partner," said Mitch Davis. "But what really cemented the collaboration was their passion for the IP and the world in which the game will live. Because that's when you are going to get really good games — when the people who are making it are really enjoying the process."

"Typically, there are two issues developers have with making a licensed game. First, they tend to have shorter development cycles. Second, there are often very tight constraints on how you can portray the world of the
IP, its characters and story. The resulting lack of creative freedom can be very frustrating — especially when it's a world you are excited to explore," said Julian Eggebrecht, President and Co-founder of Factor 5. "But collaborating with Brash is much different, we're already working on a title that is more than two years out, and because the filmmaker is a game fan who is really excited about how we want to expand on the story of the film, we've been given a lot of latitude. It's been really fun to dig deep into this universe."

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Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:20:16 MDT Mike Fahey http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=367378&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Folklore Devs Working On Secret Movie Game ]]> gamerepbrash.jpg Movie video game producers Brash Entertainment (Jumper: Griffin's Story, Alvin and the Chipmunks) has signed a deal with Japanese developer Game Republic (Genji series, Folklore) to work together on a game based on a "popular Hollywood film". While we've no idea what movie the game is to be based on, famed Game Republic CEO Yoshiki Okamoto hints at a fantasy theme.
"In collaborating with Brash, we were introduced to a very compelling fictional world and given the freedom to expand it through the game. We are working directly with the creative talent from the film, and feel that the close collaboration will result in an amazing game play experience that immerses the player in an incredible fantasy world."
Incredible fantasy world with a 2010 release? Warner Bros. 2010 remake of Clash of the Titans would certainly fit the bill, with the original film allowing it the "popular Hollywood" film label, and Brash does have an agreement with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Just my speculation mind you. We'll just have to wait and see!

Brash Entertainment Partners with Game Republic, Inc.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., March 12 /PRNewswire/ — Today Brash Entertainment announced a game development deal with Game Republic, Inc., the Japan-based studio led by famed game producer Yoshiki Okamoto. Under the terms of the worldwide agreement, the partners will collaborate on an unannounced game based on a popular Hollywood film. The game will release in 2010.

Game Republic, Inc. was founded in 2003 under the leadership of industry visionary, Yoshiki Okamoto. A 20-year veteran of the game industry, Game Republic, Inc. CEO Okamoto has had a dramatic impact on the styles of gameplay prevalent in modern titles and is credited with pioneering new genres including "one-on-one fighting" with Street Fighter II and "survival horror" with Resident Evil. In addition, his teams have delivered such popular franchises as Lost Planet, Devil May Cry, Onimusha, Darkstalkers and many more.

"As a gamer, I am extremely excited to work with Okamoto-san, who has produced some of my favorite games," said Brash co-founder and CEO Mitch Davis. "The Brash business gives us the luxury to match the best Hollywood IP with the skills of the most talented independent game developers; our partnership with a strong studio such as Game Republic, Inc. is an excellent example of that."

"One of my goals with games is to do something revolutionary with something that has been never been seen before. The opportunity to re-imagine a fictional world provided by a compelling Hollywood IP using the interactive medium of games is very exciting to me," said Okamoto. "In collaborating with Brash, we were introduced to a very compelling fictional world and given the freedom to expand it through the game. We are working directly with the creative talent from the film, and feel that the close collaboration will result in an amazing game play experience that immerses the player in an incredible fantasy world."

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Wed, 12 Mar 2008 11:20:13 MDT Mike Fahey http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=366904&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Saw Writer Talks Saw Video Game ]]> jameswan.jpgJames Wan, the executive producer for the Saw series of horror films, was also responsible from writing the two best installments of the franchise, the original and Saw III, so news that he is busy writing the story for the video game is welcome news indeed. James talks about the project a bit in his latest MySpace blog post.
Leigh and I are very excited about this new venture. We are big gaming fans and we think it would a great opportunity to continue the SAW legacy into a different platform/medium. Keeps things fresh for us anyway. A lot of people have asked us if we would be interested in writing another SAW movie...well, we are writing another SAW story...but it's for the game. We're treating this story like the SAW movies with lots of twists and turns. We have no idea how that is going to apply to a computer game format, considering that most games are generally pretty simple in it's plotting. Maybe its a good thing that Leigh and I are naive to the video game world and that we're writing it like its a movie!

Ah yes, ignorance is bliss, and could make for a relatively blissful video game version of Saw, at least until the game developers get a hold of the script and pull a more horrifying hack job on it than anything Jigsaw could have come up with.

Still, it's good to see such an important person to the franchise working on the game. It's not every day you get the creator of a movie working on a video game adaptation, much less the creator who is also the executive producer of the most popular horror franchise of the last few years.

The New Year - 2008 [James Wan's MySpace Blog - Via WhatUpThug]

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Tue, 19 Feb 2008 09:40:29 MST Mike Fahey http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=358097&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Saw Coming To Consoles (Please No, NOOOOO!) ]]> The first Saw movie was decent, until you realized that a tiny little clown puppet was supposed to be killing people, and then later, you realize that (SPOILER ALERT!!!!) some decrepit cancer patient is somehow setting up all these traps. And then the series gave up on any intelligence in lieu of more red dye and corn starch mixtures.

And then they started licensing the awesome concept for video games!! Due out on Halloween October 2009 for Xbox 360 and PS3, we CAN'T WAIT! Developed by Brash Entertainment with the Unreal Engine 3, supposedly the game will be the result of close movie to game studio collaboration.

Oh, and to all the Saw fans. I'm sorry. (Not about this post, but that you've been sucked into liking crappy movies.) Oh, I kid. I love you all and have already judged you as perfect for reading my ramblings.

WhoIsJigsaw [Official Site via GameLife]

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Wed, 30 Jan 2008 11:40:32 MST Mark Wilson http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=350625&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Brash Gamifies Jumper Movie ]]> Bourne Identity director Doug Liman's latest film, Jumper, is due out in February of 2008, and Brash Entertainment plans to have the movie game arriving by its side. Based off of the 1992 science fiction novel by Steven Gould, the movie tells the story of David Rice, a young man who discovers that he is a 'Jumper', a person with the ability to instantaneously teleport anywhere on Earth. Starring Hayden Christensen (oh boy) as David and featuring Samuel L. Jackson as the leader of the Paladin organization that has warred with the Jumpers for thousands of years, it certainly has the makings of a blockbuster action flick. As for the game itself? We'll wait and see how Brash does with that one when it comes out next year for the PS2, Wii, and Xbox 360.
BRASH Entertainment ANNOUNCES JUMPER VIDEO GAME IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX, BRASH BRINGS THE NEXT science fiction-ACTION-thriller TO A CONSOLE NEAR YOU

Hollywood, Calif. - November 13, 2007 - Brash Entertainment announced today the development of a Jumper video game, to release alongside the film of the same name from Twentieth Century Fox and Regency Enterprises. Jumper is the eagerly anticipated science fiction-action-thriller directed by Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity), and starring Hayden Christensen, Rachel Bilson, Jamie Bell, and Samuel L. Jackson.

Jumpers, people with a genetic anomaly that enables them to teleport themselves instantaneously to anywhere on the globe, have existed for centuries. An age-old battle rages between the Jumpers and the Paladins, a clandestine organization set on eliminating them from the planet. The Jumper game extends the film's storyline, following Griffin, a battle-hardened Jumper determined to avenge the death of his parents at the hands of the Paladins. Griffin's quest to find the killer spans exotic locales around the world.

"Jumper is shaping up to be the action adventure film of 2008, and Brash is excited to be there, at the beginning, with a game that further explores the Jumper universe," said Mitch Davis, co-founder and CEO of Brash Entertainment. "We've been working closely with our partners at Twentieth Century Fox to create a game that delves into the world of the Jumpers and the Paladins."

"When you combine all of the talent associated with this film and infuse it with one of the best action film minds today in Doug Liman you know that you're in store for one thrilling experience," said Elie Dekel, Executive Vice President, Licensing & Merchandising of Twentieth Century Fox. "Brash will take all of these elements to create a top-notch video game experience that will keep gamers on the edge of their seats."

The Jumper video game will be available for the PLAYSTATION®2 computer entertainment system, the Wii™ videogame system from Nintendo, and XBOX™ 360. The game is scheduled to ship February 12, 2008 followed by the theatrical release on February 15, 2008 and has not yet been rated by the ESRB. For more information about the movie please visit http://www.jumperthemovie.com/.

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Tue, 13 Nov 2007 14:00:02 MST Mike Fahey http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=322146&view=rss&microfeed=true
<![CDATA[ Speed Racer The Movie The Game ]]> I honestly had no clue this was happening. A Speed Racer film with John Goodman, Christina Ricci, Matthew Fox, and Richard "Shaft" Roundtree, directed by the Wachowski brothers? How did I not know about this? One of my minions shall be beaten within an inch of its life tonight for certain, but in the meantime I must learn about this glorious film through a Warner Bros. press release for the game of the movie of the animated series.

"We are very excited about this natural extension from the Speed Racer film to the videogame. Larry and Andy are videogame fans themselves, so they believe that an interactive game is a key component to the entire Speed Racer experience," said film producer Joel Silver.
Coming in 2008 for the Wii, DS, and later for the PS2, the game will involve racing, surprisingly enough. Combat racing to be exact, incorporating the 'car-fu' action the Wacho's have developed for the film. Look for the Wii and DS versions to launch with the film's release, with the PS2 version hitting stores when the DVD does for some strange reason.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment presents Speed Racer - the videogame

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment will launch the Speed Racer videogame based on the upcoming film written and directed by the Wachowski brothers. Speed Racer is a Warner Bros. Pictures presentation in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, of a Silver Pictures production. The game will be available in 2008 on the Wii and Nintendo DS systems as the Speed Racer film hits cinemas. It will be released on the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system with the DVD launch.

In the Wii and PlayStation2 system games, developed by Sidhe Interactive and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, players will be able to take on the role of the characters from the film, getting behind the wheels of each character's signature vehicles to experience firsthand the film's high adrenaline, combative racing style. The car-fu style of action within the game will closely represent the action style being designed by the Wachowski brothers for the film itself as they lend direction and assets to the development team directly from their Berlin set. John Gaeta, a long time Wachowski collaborator and Co-VFX Supervisor on the Speed Racer film, is working with Sidhe and WBIE to assist in maintaining a close film-to-game aesthetic connection.

"Speed Racer is an exceptionally creative property and teamed with the Wachowski brothers' vision it makes for action-packed racing gameplay," said Samantha Ryan, senior vice president, development and production, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. "The game will capture the intensity of the racing in the film to give gamers and movie fans a chance to take the wheel after the experience the film."

"We are very excited about this natural extension from the Speed Racer film to the videogame. Larry and Andy are videogame fans themselves, so they believe that an interactive game is a key component to the entire Speed Racer experience," said film producer Joel Silver.

The game's development for the Wii and PlayStation2 system platforms is led by the New Zealand-based Sidhe, a game development studio recognised for producing high-quality entertainment titles with world-class creative and software development skills. Developing across console, handheld, and PC, Sidhe has created a range of innovative products including a variety of racing titles.

Written and directed by the Wachowski brothers (The Matrix trilogy, V for Vendetta) and produced by Joel Silver, Speed Racer is based on the classic series created by anime pioneer Tatsuo Yoshida. A live-action family adventure, Speed Racer follows the young race-car driver Speed in his quest for glory on and off the track in his thundering Mach 5.

The film will feature other characters that fans of the show will remember, including Speed's family and his mysterious arch-rival, Racer X. The new high-octane actioner will combine the kind of revolutionary visual effects and cutting-edge storytelling that have become the benchmarks of the Wachowski brothers' films, bringing Speed Racer into the 21st century. The film stars Emile Hirsch ("Alpha Dog") as Speed, Christina Ricci ("Black Snake Moan") as Trixie and Matthew Fox (TV's "Lost") as Racer X as well as Oscar winner Susan Sarandon ("Dead Man Walking") and John Goodman ("Evan Almighty") as Mom and Pops Racer.

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Tue, 04 Sep 2007 08:30:31 MDT Mike Fahey http://kotaku.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=296066&view=rss&microfeed=true