Today I’m going to list five unadapted video games that should receive the film treatment. I will then say why they should be adapted and give suggestions on how the adaptation could be handled.

Metroid

Why?: Metroid is one of gaming’s most beloved franchises and features Samus Aran, one of its most iconic women leads. To not adapt it would be heresy.

How?: The first Metroid film should remain small-scale. The basic plot would follow the first game, where Samus is sent to stop Space Pirates using Metroids to create new weapons. It could easily be set in a huge laboratory. We would steadily see more of Samus’ abilities throughout her journey. But Samus’ personality should be foregrounded to make big action moments more impactful. Future Metroid films could then increase the action’s scope as the first film will have invested us in Samus’ character.

Grand Theft Auto

Why?: GTA is incredibly popular/controversial but it also tells diverse cinematic stories. Which skewer the American dream and showcases the violence at its heart. Meaning GTA could easily be cinematically adapted and it could hit hard in the current climate.

How? A GTA film should tell an original narrative, to avoid direct game comparisons. Perhaps focusing on a woman character to deconstruct the toxic masculine image associated with the games. The other key elements are creating engaging characters, an emotionally involving, comedic story, and building a detailed world that satirizes American capitalism in pointed controversial ways. This way fans will have more to chew on beyond simple shock value.

Prototype

Why?: A Prototype film would be a genre lover’s dream. The premise of a virus transforming people into monsters and its focus on bloody carnage would satisfy horror gore hounds. But its superpowered main character and fast-paced action could also give it a unique space in the superhero market.

How?: The games provide several interesting story directions. Seeking vengeance for a murdered loved one or recovering one’s memory both have great dramatic possibilities. However, a Prototype film should prioritize having energetic direction. Also, crucially, it should include practical gore effects. Think Evil Dead meets Spider-Man.

Journey

Why?: Journey’s wordless story of a robed figure journeying towards a mountain and slowly discovering what happened to a prior civilization could really demonstrate the visual storytelling side of video game adaptations.

How?: To make a Journey film there needs to be grand visuals, an expressive main character, and a beautiful score. It could easily be told as a beautifully animated tale, like The Red Turtle. However, with ambitious creatives, it could be an awe-inspiring live-action epic. Imagine Dune (2022)’s creative team handling this adaptation. 

Ikenfell

Why?: The story of a non-magical girl searching for her sister in a magical school where she discovers her previously unknown powers has all the hallmarks of a new successful fantasy franchise. Plus the game’s focus on characters of colour and LGBTQ identities provides a wonderful opportunity for needed visibility in a big-screen franchise.

How?: An Ikenfell film should be live-action to showcase real-world representation. And would be best served by focusing on the mystery story and characters rather than style. Although if the Wachowski sisters wanted to direct another family film their creative flare would be welcome.

Those are just some games that deserve their own film. Which games would you like to see become films and why?

Also Read: Adam Sipione Unravels the Inspiring Story of Shenmue In His New Documentary

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Neither A Borrower Nor A Lender Be – Filmmakers Using Shakespeare

There are varieties of “Shakespearean” films and there is a big difference to what some of them owe Shakespeare. There are Shakespeare films like Olivier’s Henry V, 2015’s Macbeth where they are performed with the dialogue and setting given by Shakespeare. Then you have Romeo + Juliet or Richard III with Ian McKellan, the dialogue is kept and the setting updated. Then you have the films that are inspired by the story but jettison everything else – so 10 Things I Hate About You is based on The Taming of the Shrew. And then, of course, you have the huge influence of just Shakespeare’s ideas and plots – The Lion King has almost exactly the same plot as Hamlet but Shakespeare gets no writing credit. The criminally unknown film Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is an adaptation of the Tom Stoppard play of the same name, which is set in Hamlet but follows the inconsequential characters of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, in fact, so inconsequential are these characters they themselves do not know which is which. Any scheming female character is Lady Macbeth, countless love stories are compared to Romeo and Juliet and an indecisive lead character is Hamlet reborn.

What Is Past Is Prologue – History And Story

Shakespeare’s influence is even more pernicious. The cultural phenomenon of Game of Thrones is often said to be inspired by the Wars of the Roses, the medieval English civil war between great noble families. However, the popular conception of the Wars of the Roses is intrinsically bound up with the Shakespearean plays about those wars. The historical figure of Richard III is almost completely lost to the Shakespearean version. Separating Cleopatra or Julius Caesar from their plays is almost impossible. The tv show Rome wisely decided to not have a scene on the funeral of Julius Caesar, from which some of Shakespeare’s most famous lines come from, and instead have a character relate their experience of watching the funeral, comparing the eloquent and scholarly Brutus with the emotional and unrestrained Mark Antony.

Often Shakespeare stories are considered the definitive telling of that type of story – when writing about doomed love, star-crossed lovers, and young intense love then it is Romeo and Juliet that comes to mind. A struggle for power – Macbeth, Richard III, Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra. Betrayal – Othello, Macbeth, Richard III.

To Thine Own Self Be True – Welles, Wilde & William

There is a famous quote concerning Shakespeare attributed to both Oscar Wilde and Orson Wells – “We now sit through Shakespeare in order to recognise the quotations.” This could mean a number of things from – such as the thrill of hearing “something wicked this way comes” from Macbeth is pleasant aside from any theatrical concerns, or that there is a pretentiousness at play, people do not like Shakespeare, they like to be able to say they’ve seen Shakespeare. It does demonstrate the outsized impact Shakespeare has had on how we speak and the list of words and phrases still in use that Shakespeare created is astonishing. There is a sense that Shakespeare is good for us, it’s worthy, to be called the greatest writer in the English language creates a feedback loop of admiration. Do we watch Shakespearean films to look clever? Do people make them to look clever? The answer is probably sometimes they do.

If Money Go Before, All Ways Do Lie Open – The Profitable Shakespeare

Romeo + Juliet made over $100,000,000 on a budget of less than $15,000,000, was a cultural phenomenon and helped make Leonardo DiCaprio a household name. They are capable of making a big profit and can garner huge critical acclaim. Financial success and critical acclaim are perhaps the only two metrics that measure in filmmaking. And you don’t even have to pay for the rights, not only is Shakespeare out of copyright, his plays were written before copyright even existed.

Though I Am Not Naturally Honest, I am Sometimes so By Chance – My Opinion

I do enjoy Shakespearean film and will certainly be watching The Tragedy of Macbeth, I have been accused many times of the twin sins of snobbery and pretentiousness, I don’t think that’s all it is. Shakespeare is a wonderful source for modern filmmakers. The great writer Robert Graves once said “The remarkable thing about Shakespeare is that he is really very good – in spite of all the people who say he is very good.”

Also Read: The New Frontier of the Western

Your contribution to Big Picture Film Club will allow us to continue to produce content. No matter the amount your contributions are greatly appreciated.

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Today we will look at how the classic love story has been interpreted over the years. And what has made this story such fertile ground for reinterpretation. But before that, lets quickly summarise the play.

Story

In Verona, Italy, the Montagues and Capulets are locked in a violent feud. To the chagrin of Verona’s Prince. However, when Romeo Montague infiltrates a Capulet party, he meets Juliet Capulet. Over the night Romeo and Juliet fall in love, eventually marrying in secret.

Juliet’s cousin Tybalt challenges Romeo to a duel for attending the party but he refuses. Romeo’s friend Mercutio duels instead and Tybalt fatally wounds him after Romeo tries stopping the fight. Romeo kills Tybalt in retaliation and is banished by Verona’s Prince. Romeo and Juliet manage to spend one night together before he leaves.

Juliet’s parents then blackmail her into marrying a man named Paris. Her friend Friar Laurence gives her a drug that will make her appear dead for 42 hours to allow her to escape and be with Romeo. Upon hearing of Juliet’s “death” Romeo races to her tomb.

After seeing Juliet’s body and killing Paris in a fight Romeo poisons himself, dying as Juliet awakens. Distraught Juliet takes her life with Romeo’s dagger. With Romeo and Juliet dead the Montagues and Capulets finally stop fighting.

Adaptations

Narrative adaptations of the play date back to the early 1900s and since then there have been many film versions of the story.

There are direct adaptations that set the action within the play’s time period. Examples include the 1968 version starring Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting. The Leslie Howard and Norma Shearer 1936 version, and recently the 2013 Hailee Steinfeld version. And aside from them Romeo and Juliet has been the basis for musicals (West Side Story), modern-day gang films (Romeo + Juliet), several animated films (Gnomeo and Juliet and Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride), horror-comedies (Warm Bodies), LGBTQ reinterpretations (Private Romeo), political satire (Romanoff and Juliet), exploitation (Tromeo and Juliet); even metafiction about Shakespeare himself (Shakespeare in Love). Just to name a few.

Evidently the play is a popular inspiration for filmmakers. And many adaptations have had decent critical or box office acclaim. But, what makes this story so attractive to filmmakers and audiences? It can be attributed to three major points.

Actors

Firstly, Shakespeare adaptations are great ways to show off actor’s talents. Many adaptations keep Shakespeare’s language intact which requires great skill to sound natural to modern ears. And because the characters in Romeo and Juliet are emotionally complex, they allow actors to show a great range in their performance. As a result, adaptations of the play have attracted many talented actors and actresses, young and old, new and established. Which appeals to filmmakers from a career perspective and audiences for entertainment value.

Themes

Secondly, the story’s themes are universally appealing and malleable. Allowing constant reinterpretation. The themes of love, the folly of youth, the power of individuals against larger systems of power, etc. speak to a great number of people. It also allows the story to be told in many different ways as writers and directors interpret these themes differently. And as our perceptions of these issues change over time so to can our interpretation of this story. Allowing infinite storytelling possibilities.

Young and Old

Finally, the story offers something for both younger and older audiences. The heightened emotions of the characters and rebelling against systems of authority are very relatable to younger people. Easily allowing young audiences to identify with the characters. And older audiences can appreciate the story’s subtext (the sins of the past ruining the future) and the different spins each new adaptation puts on the text. Whether that be American racial tensions in West Side Story, LGBTQ representation in Private Romeo, or the irreverent parody of Tromeo and Juliet. Which only improves its popularity.

This tale may be over four centuries-old but as this article proves so, there is a version of this story out there for every Juliet and every Romeo.

Also Read: Films That Have Supported My Mental Health

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I have fallen somewhere in-between. At times I’ve been rapt by books, I’ve devoured Station Eleven, Girl, Women, Other, and An American Marriage. On the other hand, I’ve never in my life started so many books that I’ve ultimately put down, various acclaimed novels and memoirs have been thrown back onto the bookshelf because it seems I need something very specific during these hard times. I just wish I knew what that ‘specific’ thing was… 

Being unable to leave the house has also allowed people to explore the books they’ve had on their shelves for years. The ones they always meant to read but, for some reason, haven’t. For me, that book was Americanah, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s 2013 masterpiece about two young Nigerian lovers, who are pulled apart by distance as one travels to America and the other lives, undocumented, in the UK. The book had come to my attention in 2014, just after Lupita Nyong’o won her Oscar for 12 Years A Slave and, in the wake of her win, as is common with newly minted stars, news stories appeared in the trades of what the actress had lined up next. At the time, it was a film adaptation of Achiche’s novel starring Nyong’o as Ifemelu opposite David Oyelowo as Obinze.  

During lockdown, the book was on my radar again because the casting for Nyong’o’s adaptation had just reached me, following the news late last year that it would be a ten-episode mini-series on HBO. The playwright and actress Danai Gurira would pen the scripts, and Oyelowo was no longer attached, but in his place was up-and-comer Zackary Momoh as Obinze. At the same time, Emmy-winner Uzo Aduba had also joined the cast. 

As I read the novel, which contains astute observations on race in America as well as immigration, class, and gender, it seemed so clear to me that this novel would be a good series, not a film. Clocking in at around 400 pages and approximately 151,960 words, there was so much depth and intensity to the book. It had so many moving parts that, to condense it down to a two-hour movie would mean losing so much of what made this complex and sprawling novel so unique. 

I wondered what had changed since 2014, why the film adaptation had become a TV adaptation. Looking at the past seven years, TV has changed, and books have been adapted at a far more rapid rate. There’s been adaptations of Margret Atwood’s depressing dystopian, but all too relevant,  The Handmaid’s Tale and the prison-based memoir by Piper Kerman, Orange Is the New Black. We’ve seen comedies like Shrill, a series based on Lindy West’s first essay collection, and the fantasy tomes of George R.R. Martin became HBO’S biggest hit in recent memory, Game of Thrones. The Italian sensation My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante also came to HBO, a gender-swapped version of Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity hit Hulu, and of course, there’s been Reese Witherspoon’s obsession with ‘little’ things, be they big lies or fires everywhere. 

There was a time when books were deemed intellectual, film considered artful, while television turned your brains into mush and gave you square eyes. If a book was a success, then the film rights would be snapped up a production company, and it would turn into something lavish, and Oscar-baity. While that is still somewhat the case, it’s also becoming more commonplace for books to appear on TV. Before now, it seemed that the books adapted for TV were near exclusively period dramas, pulpy teen novels, and crime thrillers but now all types of novels are turning to the small screen rather than film. Literary hits like Candice Carty-Williams’s Queenie, Emma Jane Unsworth’s Adults, Samantha Irby’s Meaty, and Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven are some of the many books currently with TV adaptations in the works. 

Then, there is Normal People. The adaptation of Sally Rooney’s acclaimed novel has become one of the most significant cultural events of 2020 and for good reason. The story follows two Irish teenagers, Connell and Marianne, and their intense romance over a few years, from their hometown of Sligo to the campus of Trinity College Dublin. The novel, sparsely written and keenly observed, was translated into twelve perfect episodes, and each felt like it really captured the atmosphere of the book in a way few adaptations do. The casting of Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal was pitch-perfect, their steamy sexual chemistry a beauty to behold. Mescal especially has hit well with viewers, and his embodiment of the stoic and chain wearing Connell Waldron has inspired Instagram accounts dedicated to his jewellery and a collective thirst on twitter that can seemingly never be quenched. 

I guess the question is, what’s next? Books are still becoming films at a more frequent rate than they become TV shows, but it’s becoming clear that the latter is a better format to do the novel justice. Rooney’s debut novel, Conversations with Friends, is being adapted for TV by the same team behind Normal People and other books are likely to get similar treatment due to the shows overwhelming success. 

I love film, I really do, but for every brilliant adaptation like Little Women or The Personal History of David Copperfield, there’s plenty of lacklustre and ill-considered adaptations like How to Build a Girl, the most recent Emma, or, The Goldfinch. It’s understandable, that film and the novel have been so linked throughout history because the film industry was usually the only place that had the kind of cash a good adaptation needs but, that’s just not the case anymore. That narrative ended when Netflix spent $130 million on the first two seasons of The Crown. 

TV also is far more level in terms of access. I remember, as a kid, seeing the ads for The Line of Beauty on BBC; a handsome Dan Steven’s charging around a London backstreet as suggestions of gay sex and romance were offered in small flashes. The three-part drama was adapted from Alan Hollinghurst’s 2004 Man Booker-winning novel (next on my lockdown to-read list), and it still sticks in my mind as one of the earliest glimpses of gay life I saw. Seeing that ad, though admittedly I was unable to watch the show itself, as it was beamed into my home via BBC Two made me aware that gay stuff existed out there in the world and that maybe, one day, I’d be able to see it. The way TV is now, with the majority of it available via the internet, people are far more likely to be able to access it. What I’m trying to say is, books not only get more time when they’re adapted for TV but they also get a wider audience, and that can mean that those you really need it, can see it. 

Of course, we can only hope this trend leads to more readers. If once again, Instagram is a barometer of the current mood, then a lot of people are picking up Sally Rooney while they wait for the days when we’ll be allowed out again. Even some of her short stories have been released via Audible to try and appease those looking for more after finishing the show. It seems like Normal People might have paved the way, and the future looks bright.

Also Read: How Film Changed Me: On Survival Without the Cinema

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