Report: Mass Effect making move to movies

  • By TomM_GScom, GameSpot
  • Posted Sep 19, 2008 11:06 am PT

During the Austin Game Developers Conference earlier this week, BioWare spoke at length on the various cinematic techniques it employed to enhance the interactive storytelling in Mass Effect. It now appears as if BioWare may be able to see how it works the other way around. Variety is reporting...

During the Austin Game Developers Conference earlier this week, BioWare spoke at length on the various cinematic techniques it employed to enhance the interactive storytelling in Mass Effect. It now appears as if BioWare may be able to see how it works the other way around. Variety is reporting this week that ex-Marvel CEO Avi Arad has optioned the rights to produce a film based on the EA-owned property.

Variety reports that the film is still in a planning stage, with Arad likely looking to attach a writer, director, and studio to the project. It's worth noting that a myriad of gaming properties have been optioned by Hollywood players to no result in the past, including NCsoft's City of Heroes, Midway's The Suffering, and Arad's own EverQuest. EA and BioWare had not responded to GameSpot's requests for comment as of press time.

Arad is no stranger to making movies based on games. In addition to the aforementioned EverQuest movie, the producer stands on more solid ground with Capcom's David Hayter-penned Lost Planet film, which was the subject of the publisher's press conference at this year's E3. Arad has also been credited with sparking Marvel's recent spate of well-received comic-book based films, including Spider-Man and X-Men.

For its part, EA has made substantial moves into broadening the reach of its various brands to other media. In July, the publisher announced that it had signed with United Talent Agency for representation in the film and television space. EA has also professed its intention to extend Will Wright and EA Maxis' evolution simulator Spore to a breadth of media, including TV and movies.

317 Comments

  • OF-5

    Posted Oct 4, 2009 2:02 pm PT

    SCREW YOU EA! Stop messing with good games by making crappy movies!

  • Dweedleking5000

    Posted Oct 3, 2009 1:21 pm PT

    I hate EA. I hope this movie fails.

  • mrbojangles25

    Posted Oct 2, 2009 4:43 pm PT

    Just stop, EA. Just stop...please. Just give developers money to make good games, give them time to do so, and take a percentage of the profits to make a fair profit. Thats it.

  • oskuuu

    Posted May 4, 2009 6:30 pm PT

    Please don't screw this up! i hope this movie will be as epic as the game, but we'll see =/

  • kite467

    Posted Apr 29, 2009 7:07 pm PT

    um IF this happened it would be REALLY retarded, even though mass effect is crazy good.
    cuz if they did... they would have to make 2 movies
    MOVIE1-good ending
    MOVIE 2-bad ending
    the best idea would be for them to make the BOOKS into movies cuz A.theres obviously 1 ending
    B.cuz there AWESOME
    C.it would make more sense to do that (^_^)

  • solidsnake2050

    Posted Apr 2, 2009 6:12 pm PT

    OK..... one thing to say- DO NOT make this unless it is very, very good, and this should be judged by players by releasing certain scenes of the movie to gaming websites and on services like xbox live and having players vote on it. This may be asking a lot, but I'm sure you can understand with the history of game movies.

  • Toropore

    Posted Mar 13, 2009 6:18 pm PT

    Hopefully this will overcome the past horrid movies based on games. I really hope so.

  • darthrevan1990

    Posted Feb 24, 2009 9:36 am PT

    If they do make a movie i think it should be about the war between human and turians

  • Nick_Rc

    Posted Feb 21, 2009 11:19 am PT

    Cetrie has a point Biowear have to have compleate control over this film or it wont work

  • Excelsior69

    Posted Feb 14, 2009 4:29 pm PT

    I'd write a long summary about all my thoughts about this but I think that this time I'll just say:

    Not another one

  • imperial_agent

    Posted Feb 3, 2009 7:36 pm PT

    Fitch129 brings up a good point. No real actors. Make it all CG. They could probably even take the assets from the actual game and up-res them and make em' purdy for the big screen.

  • briananicolev

    Posted Jan 23, 2009 11:22 am PT

    if they are to make a movie, they should base on the mission that took place before the game. the one that udina and anderson are talking about when the game begins and its telling the story of how sheppard got there. otherwise, if they make the movie based on the game that we play it wouldn't be the same because we choose what happened to our character. i don't think that they should ruin the video game cause honestly, its the best game i've played since the halo trilogies. i've already played it all the way up to expert about two times. i hope they don't make a movie. :[

  • noodles156

    Posted Jan 22, 2009 4:18 am PT

    as mutch as it sounds like a good idea if you don thtink ubout it makes it seem cool but if you do think ubout it it isent a very good idea i mean mass effect was one of the best games iv ever played probliy is the best. the grafics where totaily awsome but makeing a movie you woodent be able to fit the hole storry in 1 movie and i reckan that it shood just stay a game its just 2 good to be a movie and i allways try and show my family how good games reely are there no tjust presin ga button its heeps more then that and if they make a movie then i wood probliy have a beter chance for them to relize games are more then just what they seem and allso when is mass Effect 2 comin gout plzzzzzz giv us more info on that.

  • picklesrocks

    Posted Jan 10, 2009 2:05 pm PT

    why the hell are they making a film? this is such a dumb idea

  • ZombieHunter4

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 6:01 pm PT

    I don't know about a movie, but I want Mass Effect 2. ME1 is amazing!

  • Bombastuss

    Posted Dec 25, 2008 6:10 pm PT

    Drew Karpyshyn better be wrting the script.

  • swelsh01

    Posted Dec 15, 2008 10:46 pm PT

    i played the game several times and i think that they should do a movie of sheppard as the hero of the blitz. i think that would be the best since we all played the game and since they didn't have much back story for sheppard except for what we chose. i played all three different scenarios and the hero was the best.

  • mezro01

    Posted Dec 1, 2008 10:14 pm PT

    eh.. i dunno about this. Sheppard in a movie? Seems outa place. I have the game and read both books and it's all good by itself. I wonder who would make a cool sheppard though?

  • fzaynoun

    Posted Nov 20, 2008 3:19 pm PT

    No not another Max Payne !!!

  • IcEdOktAInE

    Posted Oct 27, 2008 12:48 pm PT

    Oh and keep the same style of background music XD

  • IcEdOktAInE

    Posted Oct 27, 2008 12:44 pm PT

    Honestly I couldn't see this being a great movie if it had Shephard in it because one of the main points of the game was for yo to decide what happens. The best thing for them to do I think is make it about something that happened before the game takes place like first contact with a mass accelerator or somethin

  • Kabals

    Posted Oct 24, 2008 8:48 pm PT

    If they do this correctly, they could make an epic space trilogy out of this, not to dissimilar to the Lord of the Rings movies. (no to all you fanboys, I did not just compare Mass Effect to LOTR).

    There is enough material in the first game (because you know there would be things added) to make more than one movie. I think it's a good idea if they get the right people involved. For a long time, Comic book movies sucked and no one would ever take them seriously. Now with the success of X-Men, Batman, etc, it's pretty clear that conventional wisdom in Hollywood doesn't have to be the norm.

    Get this done.

  • Skicreature

    Posted Oct 21, 2008 7:41 am PT

    if they end up actually making the movie. it better be good. of course we all know it will be crap cause any movies after games are always crap and besides the game was so amazing you couldnt make anything bett

  • Cetrie

    Posted Oct 13, 2008 4:58 am PT

    the only decent film of a game i ever seen was Final Fantasy VII Advent Children but i think thats because the makers of the game had full control of the movie.

  • Bowser453

    Posted Oct 13, 2008 12:36 am PT

    I know this doesn't make much sense in reality, and I know it'll never happen, but I want bioware to actually contribute significantly to the production of this movie. Most of their games are like movies anyways, and we already know that they're awesome storytellers.

  • chefbabyryan

    Posted Oct 10, 2008 9:05 pm PT

    Dude lame, lets face it fellow gamers... most video game movies blow. They just need to do a great job on the Mass Effect 2 and it will be better than any movie. And if you think about it most of the sequel games have been pretty badass in recent years.

  • 100Blondie001

    Posted Oct 8, 2008 5:13 pm PT

    Hmmm i agree with the comments that they should make a movie on Mass Effect, but.. not with the same timeline and characters, mainly cause of the conflicts, and the game has an awsome storyline to begin with. If they based it on something completely different to widen the mass effect universe I think that would be real cool, maybe the racni war or something else like the war that occured between the makers of the citadel and sovereign, etc. sort of what led up too the mass effect us gamers know, im sure that would be a much better angle to look at than a recreation of an already pretty perfect storyline, cause i myself aint a big fan of hollywoodization... :S

  • jmrwacko

    Posted Oct 2, 2008 10:27 am PT

    This game has more potential to be a movie than any other plot I can think of, save the Halo universe. A gears of war movie will just end up like the Doom movie with all the unrealistically huge bicepts and silly weaponry, imo. Unless they give it a graphic novel style like Sin City and 300, so the ridiculous lack of realism actually works.

  • Shanook28

    Posted Oct 1, 2008 3:37 pm PT

    I dunno. I don't think this is a good game to make into a movie. I think the best thing about the game was the fact that you were able to decide what Shepard felt, said, and did, even to the point of deciding who dies and who lives. To just sit there and watch someone else decide what happens would be kinda depressing. Also, imagine all the conflict there will be over Shepard's gender. They are most likely going to make Shepard a guy. Just imagine all the pissed chick gamers--like me. Seriously, have you guys ever played it as a chick? It's so much better.

  • Npaviour

    Posted Sep 30, 2008 8:01 pm PT

    I want to direct and write this movie.
    We need to make the movie as authentic and realistic to the games as possible.
    I would pack as much as I could into movie around two and 1/2 hours long, keeping the emotion within the characters, and making Shepard, Paragon as that is the basis of the game, but with a real renegade side to him, so you don't know really what he's going to do.
    I would have to build up a sense of hatred, because there is no real reason within the game, why Shepard wants to kill Saren.
    Okay he has his reasons like he kills one of his team mates but there isn't enough to show why Shepards really wants to kill Saren.
    I would build the characters up in around 2 hours with there being some sacrifices to the game, like cutting out Noveria, and having the racni and Benezia on Virmire.
    In not too sure yet which love interest I should do, if one at all. And I don’t know which one I would sacrifice, I have to, to keep it authentic to the game.
    after all this in 2 hrs maybe 2 hrs 15 mins, I would make a dramatic and awesome citadel space fight, real gritty, proper awesome, like Serenity, but longer.....but not over exaggerated.
    I’m telling you I’m destined to make this movie, I have all the fans at heart, and what they would want to get out of the movie, not just raking in the money.
    This is a game that people love, it can’t be ruined by Hollywood.

  • happIz

    Posted Sep 30, 2008 1:42 pm PT

    if a movie did come out, i hope it is completely digital. and it should be a prequel because i want to reserve the sequel storyline for ME2. and keep uwe boll away

  • fitch129

    Posted Sep 28, 2008 12:06 pm PT

    If they do make a movie of mass effect they should use digital animation for the whole movie and not use real life actors, that way the movie will look just like the game.

  • fitch129

    Posted Sep 28, 2008 12:06 pm PT

    If they do make a movie of mass effect they should use digital animation for the whole movie and not use real life actors, that way the movie will look just like the game.

  • M-Conglomerate

    Posted Sep 27, 2008 6:36 pm PT

    No no no. Just leave the IP alone.

  • Dragonstrike

    Posted Sep 27, 2008 10:47 am PT

    Why must it always be a movie? I want a TV series based on Mass Effect universe. It's been ages since I've seen a decent sci-fi series. If sci-fi isn't good enough, just make Desperate Spectres, Ugly Spectre, Are you smarter than a Spectre or anything. I'm really desperate to get back to the world of Mass Effect. =))

  • Zazalon

    Posted Sep 26, 2008 3:36 pm PT

    Any movie less than say, 4 hours, won't do justice to Mass Effect's huge universe. Unless they make a trilogy like the games.

  • rezpatriot

    Posted Sep 26, 2008 11:10 am PT

    i don't think it a good idea. If they do they should only show it at e3 in a special cinema you have to pay to get in to. Or pax. Because Super Mario sucked and Street Figher sucked and they were good games. So why not get a game that sucks and make a movie about it. Any suggestions for games that suck?

  • rezpatriot

    Posted Sep 26, 2008 11:10 am PT

    i don't think it a good idea. If they do they should only show it at e3 in a special cinema you have to pay to get in to. Or pax. Because Super Mario sucked and Street Figher sucked and they were good games. So why not get a game that sucks and make a movie about it. Any suggestions for games that suck?

  • Axe_336

    Posted Sep 23, 2008 11:39 pm PT

    I think it would be difficult for them to work in Faros AND Noveria. They'd probably do Noveria and just scrap the bit about the Cipher (Really, wasn't that just an excuse to throw in another mission?). I would have to hope for a female Commander Sheperd, because the default male model always looked really lame to me.

  • Flagman01

    Posted Sep 23, 2008 9:01 pm PT

    I for one would be impressed if they would undertake such an ambitious project, but it would probably have to be at least 2 to 2 1/2 hours long to contain enough of the story line and game play aspects. I look forward to seeing what comes of the making of the MASS EFFECT MOVIE.

  • dragonwarlock77

    Posted Sep 23, 2008 6:35 pm PT

    You pretty much said it, KaH-LenS.

  • HolteEnder4Life

    Posted Sep 23, 2008 6:00 pm PT

    i wanna see a movie of the First Contact War, or the Krogan Rebellion

  • LostSoul1974

    Posted Sep 23, 2008 2:58 pm PT

    I really hope this pans out!

  • KaH-LenS

    Posted Sep 23, 2008 7:23 am PT

    Do a ''Halo'' movie, do a ''Gears of War'' movie, do a ''Beautiful Katamari'' movie, as long as Uwe Boll or Paul W.S. Anderson don't direct it EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE !!!! =D

  • DaNjOhNrOoKe

    Posted Sep 23, 2008 6:27 am PT

    Why not do it in intallments e.i Eden prime episode 1, the citidel/sepectar status episode 2 ect.

  • Shantmaster_K

    Posted Sep 22, 2008 9:04 pm PT

    I want to see a great game made into a movie. Such as rumors of a halo, gears of war, and turok movie. They should get started on one of them. Mass Effecr movie would be great.

  • skinny_man_69

    Posted Sep 22, 2008 5:23 pm PT

    Well at least they're going to make a movie out of a game that actually warrants one. If there's a good cast and keep the story relatively similar to the game this could become the next Star Wars Saga

  • mattwbrad

    Posted Sep 22, 2008 4:35 pm PT

    If handled correctly, Mass effect would make a great movie. However, I can easily see this project becoming overly simplified. The director has the artistic freedom to do whatever they wish with the Mass Effect Universe, and he or she has the potential to destroy the image BioWare has created.

    Games that have become movies generally are not matched on the big screen; this is a result of time constraints and genre ignorance. These movies often change the story line, and alter the knowledge base. This is a huge disservice to the fan base that already exists for the game as subsequent game elements will most likely adopt that which came from the movie.

    I can only hope that they hire on talent that stacks up to the voice actors and artists that are with BioWare on the Mass Effect video game development team.

  • Gamer4Iife

    Posted Sep 22, 2008 3:16 pm PT

    Heh. I always thought that Mass Effect would make a good movie. I'm all for it, as long it doesn't get in the way of the game.

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