Persona 3 Reload, a remake of the classic 2006 RPG, is due to release on February 2. Between 2013 and 2016, AIC ASTA and A-1 Pictures released four animated films on Persona 3. The question is: are they worth watching before Reload's release?

For many, myself included, seeing your favorite franchises adapted into a new form is thrilling. So when I heard there were four full-length animated films based on Persona 3, I knew I had to watch them. It's too good to be true! Well, in a way, it kind of is.

Spoiler alert for Persona 3 and the films.

What are the Persona 3 movies?

Let's give a bit of context here. The Persona 3 films, under the banner Persona 3: The Movie, were mostly made by A-1 Pictures (with AIC ASTA doing #1). A-1 also tackled the animated scenes in Persona 4, so they've worked with Atlus in the past.

The films came out over four years, starting in 2013 and ending in 2016. They launched theatrically in Japan, and while they never made it to the West in terms of dubbing, you can buy them subtitled off Amazon Prime for around $5 each.

In honor of Persona 3: Reload's release, I decided to watch all four films and collect my findings here for you all to see. I'll talk about how the films adapt the source material and make it better, or in some cases worse.

For Better

As someone who played Persona 3 Portable, which had no animated cutscenes, the movies made up for that. Seeing the events of Persona 3 done justice through the great animation by AIC ASTA and A-1 Pictures is satisfying. The style is consistent with the original game and outmatched the animated cutscenes in-game, in my opinion. The fight scenes are also given a one-up, feeling just as snappy and rewarding.

The films also give Makoto Yuki, the once-silent protagonist, a full voice and lines. This helps speed things up story-wise and gives him more of a personality and arc. His character development throughout the four films is pretty good and goes deep into the themes of life and death. Furthermore, Yuki's humanization in Persona 3: The Movie #3. Falling Down with Ryoji creates some great moments of friendship the game never had, if I remember correctly.

From the start, you can tell the films were made by Persona 3 fans. Throughout the four films, you'll see cameos from Social Links like Akinari and Chihiro, as well as Makoto using fan-favorite Personas like Jack Frost and Thoth.

The S.E.E.S members also have their moments in the spotlight and translate well onto the screen. Junpei is still that lovable goofball, and Akihiko punches anything and everything near him. We even get an "I've been waiting for this", which is a must for any Persona 3 title.

For Worse

The story of Persona 3 is a long one. I mean, the game takes at least 88 hours to beat, and that's just sticking to the narrative. While the base story remains, small character moments and events are shaved to their bare bones or cut entirely. Even still, it hurts characters that didn't get much time in the original, like Shinji and Jin.

While what it adds is good, it doesn't elevate things as much as they could've. For example, the concept of Personas turning on their users is glanced over, being resolved the same way for both afflicted characters.

Another thing that felt off was the unchanged ending. I know some people didn't like the pacing of the ending and the events that transpire. And, while I was confused and surprised, it felt right. Persona 3: The Movie #4: Winter of Rebirth didn't change that, and it's a missed opportunity.

On that note, the pacing was quick and went too fast. This problem came up a lot, as events happen and end within minutes and get pushed to the side. The game had this issue, and to see that adapted doesn't suit the films well.

I do want to point out that each film has a different director. While the visions for them didn't change much from each version, it feels like there wasn't a lot of wiggle room to explore. For example, Persona 3: The Movie #1. Spring of Birth covered the beginning up to Fuuka's entrance, while Persona 3: The Movie #2. Midsummer Knight's Dream gave us the rest of the S.E.E.S squad and villains.

Each film was an hour and a half, give or take. I'm unsure if the plan was always four films, but deep down, I feel like adding a bit more time to each would help smooth the pacing and make them unique.

Consensus

The Persona 3 films are solid showings of the game's narrative. They stay true to the source material and add small yet welcoming changes. That said, condensing the story and translating its pacing problems to the screen hurt the films, especially the last two. As a fan of Persona 3 and its characters, it's great to see them as lively as they were in the game.

So, it begs the question: should you watch Persona 3: The Movie and its sequels before Persona 3 Reload? Personally, I would steer clear of them if Reload is your first. The game looks to correct some of the original's errors and the story flows much better with gameplay. If you're a returning Persona 3 player, the films would help refresh your memory of the story and characters. Plus, it gives some fun moments that fans will enjoy.

Overall, they act as mementos of the original. Whether they'll age well come Persona 3 Reload's release remains to be seen. 

The post The Persona 3 films adapt everything, for better or worse appeared first on Destructoid.

I guess there are no more tombs to raid... for now

Hollywood has already taken two different shots at the Tomb Raider franchise, starring Angelina Jolie and Alicia Vikander respectively, but it looks like there's a chance another actress will get a chance to helm the series, as TheWrap reports. The film rights to Tomb Raider are up for grabs yet again after MGM failed to make a sequel after the 2018 film, which would have allowed them to keep the rights — although there were plans to make another film in the series at one point.

The most likely factor in plans for the sequel fizzling out is Amazon's acquisition of MGM back in March of this year. There's a good chance that with the merger going on, any projects in the works were put on pause, which is unfortunate when there's a ticking clock for maintaining your IPs. Fans had a lukewarm reaction regarding the 2018 movie, but it did fairly well at the box office internationally, so it's kind of a shame that they're not getting a second chance with Vikander's version of Croft.

Tomb Raider's treasure-hunting counterpart Uncharted (also sometimes called Dude Raider by fans) did quite well in the box office this year, raking in just over $400 million, and securing its spot as the fourth most profitable video game movie to date. It's hard to say whether this had to do with its star-studded cast, which included Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg, or if fans just liked the movie more, but either way, I think it shows that fans are still down for an Indiana Jones-inspired action adventure.

There's a good chance that we'll be getting another reboot of the Tomb Raider franchise from whoever picks up the rights, so here's hoping that the third time's a charm for the franchise. Until then, there's always the Tomb Raider anime that Netflix still has in the works.

The post Tomb Raider film rights are up in the air after MGM lost out appeared first on Destructoid.

Chris Pratt as Mario is still leaving me skeptical

When we all saw that Chris Pratt had been cast as the plumber in red in the upcoming animated Mario movie, a few eyebrows were raised, to say the least. He's a fine actor, but I don't know that I trust him to do one of the most iconic video game characters justice, especially after the legacy that Charles Martinet has created.

One of the most glaring questions to come up surrounding Pratt's involvement in the movie over the past few weeks is whether or not he'll have an Italian accent, which is arguably one of Mario's most recognizable features.

In an exclusive interview with Variety, Pratt gave a little bit of insight into what fans can expect from his work on the movie.

"I worked really closely with the directors and trying out a few things and landed on something that I’m really proud of and can’t wait for people to see and hear," Pratt said. "I’m providing a voice for an animated character, and it is updated and unlike anything you’ve heard in the Mario world before."

This could mean a lot of things, but I hope it means that they at least did something. The thought of Chris Pratt's unaltered voice coming out of Mario sends chills down my spine.

When Variety brought up fans' apprehension in a separate interview about Pratt's casting as a character of Italian heritage, Illumination Entertainment's founder and CEO Chris Meledandri said that because he is Italian American himself, he feels that he can "make that decision without worrying about offending Italians or Italian Americans. … I think we’re gonna be just fine. Especially because (Pratt has) given such a strong performance."

Meledandri also said that "when people hear Chris Pratt’s performance, the criticism will evaporate." I guess we'll have to wait and see about that one.

The post Chris Pratt says his Mario voice gives an ‘updated’ take on the classic character appeared first on Destructoid.

Chaos Emerald Eyes

Video game film adaptations, much like live-action anime adaptations, can really be hit or miss. For every Mortal Kombat (1995) there's a Mortal Kombat (2021). It's probably best to go into these movies with low expectations. At worst, their awfulness doesn't shock you. At best, they can completely surprise you with how fun and watchable they are. That's what happened to me with Sonic the Hedgehog. While not anything amazing, it easily hurdled the low bar set by its contemporaries to be what I consider the best film adaptation of a video game. After watching the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 trailer during The Game Awards last night, it looks like the sequel is poised to clear that bar as well.

From Jeff Fowler, director of the first Sonic film and an upcoming Pink Panther reboot, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 continues the story of the Blue Blur as he adjusts to our world and battles new threats brought by a returning Eggman. The entire cast is back on board with Ben Schwartz returning as Sonic, Jim Carrey as Robotnik, and James Marsden and Tika Sumpter as Tom and Maddie Wachowski. Rounding out the cast this time are Idris Elba as Knuckles and Colleen O'Shaughnessey as Tails, a development I'm particularly excited about given how often the film industry gives these types of roles to big-name actors rather than voice talent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5kzUpWAusI

For as long as Knuckles has been an ally of Sonic, it's easy to forget he got his start in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 as an unwitting antagonist who sided with Eggman. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 will release exclusively in theaters on April 8, 2022.

The post It’s Sonic vs. Knuckles in the first trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog 2 appeared first on Destructoid.

Long-awaited adaptation is not a box office Fatality

This weekend saw the U.S. opening of Warner Bros.' long-in-development adaptation of its gory fighting franchise, Mortal Kombat. And, all things considered, the film has been a success, pulling in domestic box office sales of around $22.5 million USD.

As noted by Deadline, this is the highest opening for an R-rated movie since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has understandably left cinema sales reeling over the past 13 months. Mortal Kombat was screened in almost all re-opened theaters (estimated to be around 60% of the U.S. total) and is available to stream at home on paid service HBO Max — though the money made via the latter is not taken into account.

Directed by Simon McQuoid, Mortal Kombat sees washed-up MMA fighter Cole Young team up with a ragged selection of Earthrealm Champions and thrust into an inter-dimensional battle with the forces of Outworld sorcerer Shang Tsung — a battle where the very fate of mankind hangs in the balances. Reviews have been divisive, with critics and fans praising the film's visuals, costuming, effects, and gore, but critical of its editing, tone, and tendency for panicked exposition.

It remains to be seen whether Mortal Kombat is more of a frontloaded box office draw, or whether it continues to pull in big numbers over the coming weeks. Either way, a sigh of relief is no doubt being exhaled over at Warner Bros. Studios, and a sequel to the violent action flick already seems inevitable. Somebody give Musetta Vander a call...

Mortal Kombat is now screening in theaters in the U.S. and on HBO Max.

The post Mortal Kombat saw a $22.5 million opening at the U.S. box office appeared first on Destructoid.

Claire and Leon are back in action

[Update: Netflix has officially revealed Resident Evil Infinite Darkness, a new CGI drama series that will arrive on the streaming service in 2021. Produced by TMS Entertainment, the show promises to present a Resident Evil world "unlike anything seen before." You can check out the teaser trailer at the foot of the article.]

A since-removed tweet from the Portuguese Netflix Twitter account has revealed that a brand new Resident Evil CGI movie is in the works, and will premier on the streaming service in 2021.

Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness will star two of the survival horror franchise's most beloved protagonists, Claire Redfield and Leon S. Kennedy. The Resident Evil 2 superstars will reunite for what appears to be an all-new adventure. While there are currently no plot details to speak of, I'm sure fans can expect a deadly adventure packed with conspiracy, intrigue, and more than a few nightmare-inducing monsters.

In other recent Resident Evil news, publisher Capcom has suggested that the next video game entry in the series, Resident Evil Village, could potentially arrive on current-gen consoles PS4 and Xbox One, though the team stopped short of guaranteeing this possibility.

The post (Update) New CGI series Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness coming to Netflix in 2021 appeared first on Destructoid.

Release date reconfirmed by Liu Kang himself

The kountdown has begun for the release of Warner Bros. all-new Mortal Kombat movie which has just wrapped shooting in Australia. The latest live action adaptation of NetherRealm Studios' gooey fighting game will hit the silver screen on January 15, 2021.

To mark the one-year countdown actor Ludi Lin - who plays classic MK protagonist Liu Kang - tweeted out an image from the set, which shows a slate emblazoned with the new release (the film was recently brought forward from its initially scheduled April 2021 release). Also of note, however, is the cool new take on the classic Mortal Kombat "dragon" logo, which features a spiny tail encircling the fork-tongued beastie. It's no gingerbread cake, but it looks pretty slick.

The movie will feature iconic series characters such as Raiden, Kano, Sonya Blade, Jackson Briggs, Mileena, Shang Tsung and, of course, Sub-Zero and Scorpion. While lacking somewhat in Hollywood A-listers, Mortal Kombat has cast a host of talented stuntpersons and martial artists, and is also looking at an R-rating to allow for gore galore.

We'll find out in just under a years time whether the latest in a long line of Mortal Kombat adaptions will be a Flawless Victory or just a box office Fatality. Mortal Kombat launches in cinemas January 15, 2021.

The countdown begins! 01/15/21 🉠#MortalKombat pic.twitter.com/d8RREF3Tvd

— LudiLin (@ludi_lin) January 15, 2020

The post Mortal Kombat movie reveals new spin on the famous dragon logo appeared first on Destructoid.

Underground film

Gazprom Media are currently putting together pre-production plans for a movie based on Dmitry Glukhovsky's novel - and subsequent video game series - Metro 2033. As reported by tinseltown mag Variety, the film is expected to begin shooting next year for a 2022 release.

First published in 2002, Metro 2033 tells of the aftermath of a apocalyptic nuclear war in Mother Russia, which forces the remaining civilians of Moscow underground, where they cobble together a civilisation within the subterranean transport system. The novel follows the story of Artyom, who is investigating the origins of a horde of mysterious creatures known as "The Dark Ones."

Glukhovsky noted that this isn't the first time he has been approached by production companies wishing to adapt his work, but this is the first time he has agreed to an offer. "In Russia, I didn’t see any producers who could make a good [adaptation of] this book," said the author. "It just seemed impossible. But now I finally met a team that I can entrust Metro with. Our ambitions turned out to be similar: to create a world-class blockbuster and stun even those who have read the trilogy and know it by heart. So as not to disappoint them, I am ready to become a creative producer of the movie and help create it with both my advice and action."

Metro 2033 begins shooting in 2020 for a scheduled January 1, 2022 release date.

Cult sci-fi novel Metro 2033 to be adapted as movie [Variety]

The post Metro 2033 movie in the works for 2022 release appeared first on Destructoid.

IT HAS BEGUN

Everything is looking good for the upcoming Mortal Kombat film reboot. In addition to casting an excellent star in The Raid's Joe Taslim, screenwriter Greg Russo has confirmed that the movie will be an R-rated venture. Not only that, but fatalities will play a part in the film.

That's a pretty big deal. While fans have a fondness for the old MK film, it was seriously gimped by its PG-13 rating. I understand the time period was different (and there was no way a studio was funding an R-rated film where people would be getting bisected in the 90s), but it would have been so great to have a better representation of the game on film. I don't necessarily believe the movie needs to be as gory as the recent games, but just some acknowledge of the trademark "fatalities" would go a long way in paying reverence to the source material.

While we still don't have an official name for the movie, whatever form Mortal Kombat takes is on track for a March 2021 release. Expect a bloody good time.

Greg Russo [Twitter]

The post The Mortal Kombat film will be R-rated and feature fatalities appeared first on Destructoid.

Live-action Miqo'te

Square Enix will be teaming up with Sony Pictures Television and production company Hivemind Entertainment to create a live-action Final Fantasy XIV TV series. Set in the world of Eorzea, the show's plotline will focus on a brand new narrative that will explore "the struggle between magic and technology in a quest to bring peace to a land in conflict." Details are mum because the show is still in the development phase with no cast planned as of yet. There are also no details on where this will air, though given Hivemind is working with both Netflix -- on The Witcher -- and Amazon -- on The Expanse -- it seems likely this will be a streaming show.

In a press release about the series, Square Enix promised that longtime series staples will be present in the show. Viewers can look forward to seeing "magitek and beastmen, airships and chocobos" and the "live-action debut of Cid." That certainly sounds like a Final Fantasy experience, even if Spirits Within did away with all of that. There's no planned release date, but I would expect this new series to air sometime next year once all the casting is ironed out.

While it may seem odd that XIV is the game chosen for adaptation, it does make a lot of sense. MMOs are typically built to sustain interest over a period of years and their worlds could realistically birth stories completely unrelated to the main plot conceit. With Eorzea having a rich history and even a cataclysmic event that is ripe for mining, this series has a lot of lore to pick from. Now we'll just need to find out who is writing it before we get too excited.

Sony Announces Live-Action Final Fantasy XIV TV Series [Kotaku]

The post Square Enix and Sony set to produce a live-action Final Fantasy XIV TV series appeared first on Destructoid.

Joint venture between the two companies

[Access Granted. Commencing Transmission]

Director @DavidMLeitch, @Jes_Chastain, and Jake Gyllenhaal are bringing Ubisoft’s The Division to Netflix. It’s the Tom Clancy high-stakes action you love, in the pandemic stricken Manhattan that offers no second chances. pic.twitter.com/cpi6JCp4EM

— NX (@NXOnNetflix) June 10, 2019

After a short bit on The Division 2, Ubisoft announced that a film will be coming to Netflix in the future. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Chastain, this is a joint venture between the two companies to expand the world of The Division beyond gaming. Deadpool 2 director David Leitch will helm the film with the story focusing on Manhattan from the first Division title.

That's literally all we know right now. I'm not sure if The Division is the series I would have adapted into a film, but the setting is rich for human drama and political intrigue...well, if you wanted to make a political statement, that is.

The post The Division gets a film courtesy of Netflix appeared first on Destructoid.

Will it save you from the sleep paralysis monster? Probably not!

While Lyle continues to expose what every barber does after their done cutting hair to the world, here's what's been happening in video games this past week:

• The Sonic movie was delayed until Valentine's Day!
• The Pokémon Company press conference was an odd one!
• Dauntless is out now and we're in it and more!

Last night's Pokémon Company press conference was simply bizarre and I'm not even referring to the fact they're releasing a game called Pokémon Sleep. As someone who's been following games journalism for over a decade now, I've been watching E3 every year since the early 2000s, and I've noticed over the years how press conferences have shifted in terms of presentation.

I don't think The Pokémon Company got that memo. This press conference had numbers, graphs, a new board member, and the most monotone translator imaginable having to explain the concept of Pokémon Sleep to people. I found it oddly incredible and nostalgic. Also, that weird jingle that played anytime someone came out from behind a Poké Ball needs to be a ring tone, seriously. It was so good!

Discharged question of the week: What was your favorite press conference? I'm a big fan of Konami's E3 2010 press conference.

The post In today’s episode of Pregame Discharge, Pokemon Sleep is a real thing and not a fever dream you’re currently having! appeared first on Destructoid.

IT HAS (almost) BEGUN!

It appears that after many, many years in limbo, a new movie based on NetherRealm Studios' Mortal Kombat franchise is about ready to enter pre-production stages. The film, which will be a joint production between Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema, will start shooting in Australia later this year.

First murmurs of a new MK movie surfaced as far back as 2011 and the release of Mortal Kombat for the PS3 and Xbox 360 (which was also accompanied by a live-action web series, remember that?) Since then the project has floated around with little direction, but now, with producers James Wan (Aquaman) and E. Bennet Walsh (Men in Black: International) attached, among others, it seems like the project is starting to take form.

Of course, this isn't the franchise' first foray into live action. 1995's Mortal Kombat is still a great-looking, entertaining movie, although 1997's follow up Mortal Kombat: Annihilation is batshit awful (I do love Musetta Vander's Sindel). MK has also received a TV show, in the form of 1998's Mortal Kombat: Conquest and the aforementioned web series, where Mileena once said "fucking" and it was really weird.

As for whether this new venture will be a hit or a miss, we'll just have to wait and see. But if Christopher Lambert's Raiden doesn't return with his "I don't think so" catchphrase, then I'm out. Mortal Kombat 11 is available now on PS4, PC, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.

Mortal Kombat movie will be filmed in Australia [Gamespot]

The largest film production in South Australia's history!@warnerbros will bring their epic action film, Mortal Kombat, to life here in SA. SA locations. SA crews. SA VFX companies.

It will enhance our production capabilities and create new jobs for the local film industry. pic.twitter.com/jkPeRuq1Wz

— Steven Marshall, MP (@marshall_steven) May 14, 2019

The post New Mortal Kombat movie finally enters pre-production appeared first on Destructoid.

Your move, hedgehog

According to the number-crunchers over at Box Office Mojo, Pokémon Detective Pikachu has beaten the record for biggest opening for a video game-licensed movie, having taken in some $58 million from North American theatres during its opening weekend.

The movie tells the tale of Tim Goodman (Justice Smith) who teams up with Pokémon poster boy Pikachu (Ryan Reynolds) in a series of misadventures to track down Tim's missing father. Pokémon Detective Pikachu has received solid reviews from critics and fans so far, with praise for its CGI and irreverent tone, if noting that the film is pretty much "safe" by design.

Outside of the U.S. Pokémon Detective Pikachu pulled in around $103 million from 62 territories - including the famously profitable China market - for a grand total of $161 million. Thanks to this highly successful launch, Pokémon Detective Pikachu now holds the record for highest grossing opening weekend for a video game movie, beating out Angelina Jolie vehicle Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, which debuted with a U.S. gross of $48.2 million back in 2001.

Pokémon Detective Pikachu is now showing at theatres worldwide. Make sure you tune into this evening's episode of Podtoid to hear thoughts on the film from Destructoid's own CJ Andriessen and Dan Roemer.

Detective Pikachu delivers record opening [Box Office Mojo]

The post Detective Pikachu bags record U.S. opening for a video game movie appeared first on Destructoid.

The sun is very moody

While Lyle continues his busy schedule of vengeance, here's the low down on video games lately:

• The live-action Sonic movie is getting redesigned!
• Devil May Cry is coming to Switch!
• Borderlands 3 was shown off some more!

For once, I'm gonna have to disagree with Lyle. Consider me not in the tinfoil hat club when it comes to the theory that the trailer for the live-action Sonic the Hedgehog movie was some sort of elaborate marketing ruse to get people talking about it. Paramount has been releasing box office bombs one after the other for a while now and Sonic is just another example of them throwing anything they can at the wall in the hopes of something sticking.

Sadly, I'm calling it now: Sonic will continue that trend of box office bombs -- regardless of what his design is. As for why the trailer and CGI were so terrible, obviously, it was rushed. But, was this because it was an intended and elaborate marketing scheme? I doubt it. My hunch is they wanted to piggy off the back of the potential success and excitement around Detective Pikachu once they realized they had their own live-action take on a famous mascot. So, they slapped together that abomination of a trailer as quickly as possible and threw Coolio in it and hoped for the best.

Plus, keep in mind, Paramount have had this bizarre “realistic” direction on animated characters for a long time (Transformers, TMNT, and Monster Trucks). Personally, I can only hope at this point they delay the movie and give those folks working on the redesign plenty of time. I can't even begin to imagine how long it'll take to re-render half that mess.

Discharged question of the week: which month do you think is most fitting for Sonic? I'd aim for January, honestly.

The post In today’s episode of Pregame Discharge, the live-action Sonic movie deserves Lyle’s vengeance appeared first on Destructoid.

Specialised division for licensing and esports entities

Legendary video game developer/publisher Capcom has restructured all of its esports and media licensing elements under the new banner of Capcom Media Ventures. This division will head up all matters pertaining to the Capcom Pro-Tour and other tournaments outside of Japan, while also supervising the distribution and usage of Capcom licenses in TV, film and other media.

The company will operate out of Los Angeles, renown not only for its connections to the film and TV industry, but also a popular location for digital warriors. "Los Angeles has become a major hub for esports production and it’s one of the global centers of Street Fighter fandom," said Capcom Media Ventures CEO Midori Yuasa, in a press release. "Our presence in the city gives us intimate access to those resources and community thought leaders. In addition, there are obvious benefits for our media licensing team to be based so close to our Hollywood partners."

Capcom has, in recent years, heavily stated its desire to dive full-on into the world of esports. The ill-fated Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite was designed to be the spearhead that would help the publisher blow up huge in esports. Then no-one played it. But it seems that for Capcom the dream is still alive, with plans to launch amateur and college leagues in some of their most competitive titles  - for example Street Fighter V - later in the year.

Via Upcomer Esports

The post Capcom restructures esports and licensing as Capcom Media Ventures appeared first on Destructoid.

Ex Machina star grabs her climbing axe once again

High-stakes adventurer Lara Croft is taking the silver screen once again, as Warner Bros. and MGM has confirmed a sequel to 2018 move Tomb Raider. Alicia Vikander is signed up to return as Lara Croft, with the film's script penned by Amy Jump, who also wrote the hi-octane Brie Larson flick Free Fire and Ben Wheatley's brutal Kill List.

Released last Spring, Tomb Raider was the movie adaptation of Crystal Dynamics 2013 video game, which reinvented the series with a grittier, more brutal approach to Lara's jungle-swinging adventures. The movie, which also starred Walton "I'm playing a bad guy" Goggins, received mixed reviews, but stayed pretty close to its source material, ultimately raking in around $270 million at the box office.

There are currently no plot details or an official title for the sequel, so we are yet to see if the film franchise will continue to follow in the footsteps of the video games, or go off on its own narrative course. No doubt we'll hear more once production gets underway.

MGM and Warner Bros. starts to climb aboard Tomb Raider 2 [Deadline]

The post Tomb Raider movie sequel confirmed, Alicia Vikander returns as Lara Croft appeared first on Destructoid.

See the movie, read the comic, eat the T-Shirt

Legendary Comics are to release a comic-book adaptation of what is surely to be the feel-good movie of the Summer; Pokémon: Detective Pikachu. The movie, which hits theaters in May, will receive the extended one-shot comic soon afterward.

The Detective Pikachu comic will be a straight recreation of the movie, as young Tim Goodman and his furry, coffee-addled sidekick search Ryme City for the former's missing dad. The comic is written by Brian Buccellato (The Flash, Injustice) with artwork by Nelson Daniel (Ghostbusters, Dungeons & Dragons).

"We are thrilled for the opportunity to work with the Pokémon Company International", said Robert Napton, Senior V.P. of Legendary Comics. "Pokémon is a globally-adored brand, and we absolutely loved expanding the story of Detective Pikachu onto the page with the help of Brian’s words and Nelson’s art".

Pokémon: Detective Pikachu hits theaters from May 10. The comic adaptation will be available digitally and in stores this Summer.

The post Detective Pikachu will also patrol store shelves in comic book form appeared first on Destructoid.

'Your Mission: DON'T DIE'

I have to be reminded that a Doom movie happened, but indeed it did. Starring The Rock - back in his formative thespian days of 2005 - Doom was almost universally panned by critics, but still maintained an air of entertaining charm, thanks to the charisma-magnet that is Dwayne Johnson.

Undaunted, Universal Pictures are going to have another go at translating id Software's legendary shooter franchise to the big little screen. Doom: Annihilation is headed Direct-to-Video later this year, though from this trailer it looks like the budget has had one of the franchise' chainsaws taken to it.

Directed by Tony Giglio (SWAT: Under Siege, Soccer Dog: The Movie), Doom: Annihilation features a hilarious distress call that consists of "ARRGGGGHHH!" and dialogue such as "Die Die Die." The Favourite it ain't. Still, the set has a "Laser Tag" quality to it, and I used to enjoy laser tag, so I should be able to enjoy this cathartic cornball. A fan asked the official Doom Twitter for their opinion on the trailer, but the team simply responded "We're not involved with the movie."

You can check out the new trailer below. Doom: Annihilation releases this Fall. The tag-line "It's not a game anymore" was also used for Clue: The Movie. There's my film fact for the day.

The post Check out this trailer for direct-to-video sequel DOOM: Annihilation appeared first on Destructoid.

Set for Summer 2019

Warner Bros. Japan is teaming up with developer Level-5 to create an anime film adaptation of the Ni no Kuni games. Featuring character designs by Yoshiyuki Momose and a score composed by Joe Hisaishi, the film is set for a summer 2019 release in Japan. The announcement came through a press conference where Level-5 announced that its CEO, Akihiro Hino, would be working as executive producer and scriptwriter for the upcoming film.

Momose should be familiar to fans of Studio Ghibli's work. He has previously worked as animation director on films such as Spirited Away and Porco Rosso, as well as both Ni no Kuni titles. Composer Hisaishi has also previously worked with Studio Ghibli and on the previous Ni no Kuni games. The animation for the film will be produced by OLM, a studio known for anime such as Yo-kai Watch, Inazuma Eleven, and Pokemon. All things considered, this is shaping up to be an incredibly faithful adaptation for the series.

You can check out the official website by clicking here. Gematsu also has a gallery full of concept art and character descriptions that you can view by clicking here.

Ni no Kuni anime film announced [Gematsu]

The post Ni no Kuni is getting a film adaptation in Japan appeared first on Destructoid.

It's Hadoken time

The Power Rangers/Street Fighter crossover going on in the Power Rangers: Legacy Wars mobile game was pretty weird to begin with, but it may have just kicked things up a notch. 

It was announced today at San Diego Comic-Con that a new playable character is available. That character, dubbed "Ryu Ranger," is the result of Ryu getting a hold of his own Crimson Hawk Power Coin and teaming up with the Rangers to take down Rita Repulsa and M. Bison. 

Ryu will be introduced to any unfamiliar Power Ranger fans via a short film titled Power Rangers: Legacy Wars - Street Fighter Showdown. You can check out the teaser for the film above. The short film will be released in the fall, but you can play as Ryu Ranger starting today. 

The post An unexpected crossover turns Ryu into a Power Ranger appeared first on Destructoid.

What a horrible night to have a curse

People have been dying to know when the second season of Netflix's hit Castlevania series would be airing and now we have an answer. Make sure to schedule some time off on October 26, as season two hits the service that day. The news comes straight from the official Castlevania Twitter account, along with a couple of screens that look suspiciously like Symphony of the Night.

For many, Netflix's Castlevania series was a true surprise. Konami had done nothing with the franchise for years and video game film adaptations are typically trash. That the series ended up being good was shocking enough, but Konami actually doing something with one of its IPs was even crazier. It should come as no surprise, then, that the series would get renewed for a second season (which actually happened before the first aired).

More surprising, I've somehow not watched the first season. I even interviewed the director of the series, Sam Deats, at RTX last year and left eager to watch. I think hearing about the short runtime made me cautious that I would forget everything before the second season came out. In any case, it looks like I have a couple of hours in October I need to square away.

Mr. Belmont [Twitter]

The post Season Two of Netflix’s Castlevania series will be ready for Halloween appeared first on Destructoid.

Distinct lack of car-destroying though

A small, independent team of movie makers have released a fan film based on Capcom's 1989 classic arcade game, Final Fight. The movie adapts the slight story of three desperate men in their efforts to clean up the cesspool of crime that is Metro City.

The Broken Gear, written and directed by Haile Lee, is a 30-minute feature that stars Mason D. Davis as Cody Travers, whose late-night jog through the city streets presents him with a series of cruel criminal encounters. This ultimately leads to his self-destructive rampage through a gang hideout, where he is joined by a mysterious comrade-in-arms, played by Yoshi Sudarso.

All this action is intercut with footage from a press conference held by mayor-elect Mike Haggar (played by MMA and pro-wrestling star Don Frye) as he speaks to the associated press of his plans to eradicate Metro City of its main threat, The Mad Gear gang.

Like a lot of '80s action flicks, The Broken Gear is pretty fucking uncompromising. The film is sleazy, seedy and violent, reflecting its source material pretty well. The fight choreography - once the fists start flying - is fantastic, with bone-crunching use of sound and reckless stunt-bumps. The only downer for me was the music mix, which I found blended awkwardly with the dialogue/effects. But then again, I'm an old man.

The Broken Gear is worth checking out. Be warned, it's very NSFW in language, themes and violence. It's no secret that Final Fight is my favourite video game of all-time, so to see its universe adapted this way is really cool, even if we don't get nearly enough Poison. Kudos to Haile Lee and his talented cast and crew for this great endeavour.

The post Final Fight fan-movie features some brutal, awesome fights and the perfect Mike Haggar appeared first on Destructoid.

Story-driven title coming to the big screen

2011's cult PC title To The Moon is to be adapted into an animated movie. The news was announced by the game's Canadian developer Kan Gao on his official YouTube account.

The seven-year-old game, which was developed in RPG Maker XP, concerns the intentions of two scientists, Eva Rosaline and Neil Watts, who are able to create artificial memories of events, Total Recall-style, and implant them in the memories of individuals who have little time left to live, thus allow them to pass without regret.

The game itself was praised for its complex themes of life choices, death and morality, as well as its bittersweet storyline and moving score. Though some players were a little taken aback by the title's overall lack of gameplay.

The film adaptation will be a collaborative project between Japan and China and will feature a "significant" budget and "first-tier" production companies. Kan Gao will have a role in the overseeing the film's script-writing process. I wonder if, when Gao sat down to create the small-scale title back in 2010, he had any idea of the path it would eventually lead him.

To The Moon is available now on PC, Mac and Android devices.

The post Dramatic indie hit To The Moon getting film adaptation appeared first on Destructoid.

Tokyo: Become Human sounds a lot better, honestly

Sony Japan has uploaded a short film to promote Quantic Dream's upcoming Detroit: Become Human. Set in Tokyo and aptly titled Tokyo: Become Human, the film appears to cover the same kind of dilemmas you'll face in the main game. I didn't realize Quantic Dream's games had big appeal in Japan, but apparently Sony is doing its damnedest to promote this title.

I can't actually tell what is happening, though, as the thing is entirely in Japanese without subtitles. Even with the language barrier, I'm in awe at the production values for this. A short film of this caliber gets me way more excited for Detroit than the short demo on PSN ever could.

Now I just hope a fan translates the thing, because I'm interested in seeing what the hell is going on.

Tokyo: Become Human 『Detroit: Become Human Spin off movie』[ResetEra]

The post Sony Japan promotes Detroit: Become Human with a mini-film appeared first on Destructoid.

UNCANNY VALLEY

Zen Studios' Pinball FX series is no stranger to Star Wars tables, so obviously some DLC based on The Last Jedi was in the works. Now available for Pinball FX3 on everything but Switch, you can relive Rey's training with Luke on Ahch-To and stare at some very creepy renditions of Daisy Ridley and Mark Hamill. Like, seriously, Rey looks terrifying.

The DLC also includes a second table that acts like a basic summary of the plot of the film, which is neat. Captain Phasma and Finn end up looking better, but I still can't get over how stiff and awkward the posing is. I wonder how the actors feel about portrayals like this.

The post The Last Jedi gets some tables in Pinball FX3 appeared first on Destructoid.

Inside Eden's Gate

In anticipation of Far Cry 5's launch on March 27, Ubisoft has created a live-action short movie that seemingly precedes (or at least runs tangential) to the events of the game. It's called Inside Eden's Gate, it releases on March 5, and it will only be available on Amazon Prime's video streaming service.

Inside Eden's Gate tells the story of three vloggers who go to Montana to unravel the mysteries surrounding a cult of religious zealots, because that makes for #goodcontent. Things go poorly. It sounds like Red State by way of both Blair Witch Project and Jake Paul's Misadventures.

Anyway, don't expect this film to put a bow on everything and wrap it up nicely. These sort of things only exist to amplify the intrigue around a game, not to squash the conflict entirely. But, it'd be pretty good if a trio of vloggers took down the cult and then Far Cry 5 had an even more sinister antagonist: three vloggers.

The post Ubisoft made a Far Cry 5 live-action short film, and it releases next week appeared first on Destructoid.

Glory to Arstotzka

It has been roughly a year since we last heard about the Papers, Please short film, but the project is now available on YouTube for your viewing pleasure. If YouTube isn't your jam, the film is also available for streaming on Steam. Clocking in at roughly 10 minutes, the film beautifully captures the mood and setting of the game, though it doesn't have as many of the moral quandaries that made for such gut wrenching decisions in the title.

Since the fictional country of Arstotzka is based on Russia, the film uses Russian as it's main language, but there are a huge range of subtitles available. I'm actually shocked at how many there are, since even major studio releases tend to only focus on select territories. That being said, definitely give this a watch if you're a fan of the game. While I can't say I'm pining for a sequel, this film satiates my thirst for some more Papers, Please quite well.

PAPERS, PLEASE - The Short Film (2018) 4K SUBS [YouTube]

The post The Papers, Please short film is now available appeared first on Destructoid.

Will she play a human, Ora Pokemon?

Actress, singer, and TV host Rita Ora will be joining Ryan Reynolds, Justice Smith, Bill Nighy, Suki Waterhouse, and Ken Watanabe in Legendary Entertainment’s 2019 Pokemon film, Detective Pikachu. I have to say the cast for this film is… shockingly impressive.

Ora is fresh off finishing up her role as Christian Grey’s sister Mia in the Fifty Shades series, so it looks like she’s going hard on diversifying her roles. She’ll also soon appear alongside Carrie Fisher in her final non-Star Wars film, Wonderwell.

Last year she took over hosting America’s Next Top Model after Tyra Banks decided to move behind the camera, but was herself replaced by...Tyra Banks, presumably after Tyra realized how much she missed attention.

Ora’s role in the movie is unannounced. My money is on a member of Team Rocket, and hopefully not a femme fatale Pikachu love interest.

Detective Pikachu is set to premiere May 10, 2019.

Rita Ora Joins Ryan Reynolds in Pokemon Movie 'Detective Pikachu' [THR]

The post Detective Pikachu finds another co-star with Rita Ora appeared first on Destructoid.

Shot from the set, too

Early last year, we reported that Donnie Yen was set to star in a film based on the game Sleeping Dogs. He would honestly be perfect for the role, seeing as how Sleeping Dogs is basically a hodgepodge of a bunch of Yen's previous films. Without even announcing the film was shooting, Donnie Yen took to Instagram to confirm that production has stated on the project.

I'm actually pretty excited for this. What spurred me to play Sleeping Dogs in the first place was watching Yen in Flash Point and wanting to live that in a game. What I ended up getting was something resembling Yen's film Sha Po Lang with a combination of Jackie Chan's Police Story. While Yakuza better captures the philosophy behind martial arts, Sleeping Dogs had the Chinese setting and crazy car chases that typify modern Hong Kong action films.

Hopefully this comes together well, because I could use another good Kung Fu film in my life.

DonnieYenOfficial [Instagram]

The post Donnie Yen confirms Sleeping Dogs film is in production appeared first on Destructoid.