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Modern Warfare 2 voice director helming first film

The Hollywood Reporter says Keith Arem will write, direct action thriller about mysterious epidemic; companion graphic novel also planned.

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Many critics who gave solid reviews to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 criticized its story as being unrealistic and/or over the top. However, praise was near-universal for the game's voice acting, which enlisted the talents of such esteemed thespians as Lance Henriksen (Aliens), Barry Pepper (Saving Private Ryan), Kevin McKidd (HBO's Rome), and Keith David (Halo 3, They Live).

In an interview with GameSpot, the ubiquitous and mellifluous David heaped praise on the person who assembled and directed the cast for Infinity Ward. "What I absolutely adore about [talent director] Keith Arem and his work and his team is that they're painstaking," said David.

Future film director Keith Arem.
Future film director Keith Arem.

Today, the Hollywood Reporter revealed that Arem's next project won't be a game, but rather a live-action feature film--and not the Call of Duty movie under consideration.

According to the showbiz trade, the former audio director of Virgin Interactive and Electronic Arts Pacific has signed on to direct Frost Road from a script he penned himself. The action thriller will focus on a mysterious epidemic and its effects on a small East Coast town. It will be accompanied by a graphic novel developed by Arem, his business partner Brandon Humphreys, and artist Christopher Shy. The film will be bankrolled by Avenue Pictures, the production company behind The Player, Short Cuts, and the HBO miniseries Angels in America.

"I'm extremely excited about this story and thrilled to have the opportunity to bring the skills I've honed in the game industry to the big screen," Arem told the Reporter. "There's an incredible talent pool currently working in the game industry, and I hope that the success of Frost Road will give other creators the chance to show what they can do on a wider canvas."

Though it's his first live-action film, Frost Road will be only the latest project in Arem's long career. According to his production company, PCB Productions, he has produced, directed, or recorded "over 500 commercial releases in the game, film, music, television, and graphic novel industries." Besides Call of Duty 2, 3, and 4, Arem has worked on such games as Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, Army of Two, Condemned: Criminal Origins, and Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter.

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