It seems that recently that Hollywood has run out of ideas and is buying up all the books, comic books, board games, and TV show rights. When movies are given the green light on Battleship and Chutes and Ladders (yes, I am afraid to say that is true.) it peaked my interest. They are also buying up indie comic books when there is still plenty of A and B comic material available to be made into a movie. Also, could we stop with the 80’s TV shows being made into movies? They have never turned out to be blockbuster success at the box office.
I remember a time about 10-20 years ago original idea movies where everywhere. For example we had Pulp Fiction, Matrix, The Rock, ConAir (yes I said it and I am not ashamed to say I like that movie), Independence Day, Forrest Gump, Men in Black, etc. The only two I can remember in the last few years has been The Departed and Inception.
Now I do believe certain movies made from properties should be made? Yes, for example I have always been vocal saying that Mass Effect needs to be made into a movie. If done correctly and I stress correctly then this could be as popular as a Star Wars or Star Trek series. Other examples of games that would make good movies are Gears of War, Halo, Uncharted, Warcraft, and several more I will not mention.
It seems that the executives at Hollywood studios are not thinking this through and are just buying up properties left and right and then telling producers, directors, and writers to make a movie out of it regardless if there is a story to tell. Next thing we know there will be a Speak and Spell and Etch A Sketch movies being announced. If Hollywood is doing this then they need to go the Marvel route and put someone who knows about these properties in charge of acquiring the rights and nurturing the projects vision. At least put in executive or employee who has experience with the material.
Will this current trend go away or is this the new age of Hollywood? Only time and box office receipts will tell.
*The following was written by my husband, Chris. He has always been a movie nut and enjoys PC gaming. Currently he is playing Starcraft 2 and awaiting the release of Civ V.
