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Oblivion movie trademark filed

Bethesda locks down subtitle of Elder Scrolls IV for "motion picture theatrical films in the field of fantasy games."

Many reviewers described Bethesda Softworks' Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion as being cinematic in its vast scope. Now, the publisher's parent company, ZeniMax Media, is taking that interpretation literally by registering a trademark for a feature film based on the game.

No word yet if Oblivion will use the same in-your-face close-ups as the game.

No word yet if Oblivion will use the same in-your-face close-ups as the game.

The filing, made August 12, is for the title "Oblivion" for use in "Motion picture film production; entertainment services, namely, providing motion picture theatrical films in the field of fantasy games." It was updated August 17 but has not yet been assigned an examining attorney by the US Patent and Trademark Office.

However, just because ZeniMax has filed for an Oblivion trademark doesn't mean Elder Scrolls fans should start camping out. History is littered with failed game-to-film adaptations, with many hit titles, such as Mass Effect, having their movie rights scooped up only to sit in development limbo. Others, such as Halo, see preproduction begin, but then have the funding pulled and key talent walk away.

Many game-based films that make it to the screen are critical and commercial bombs, such as Doom, BloodRayne, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, and Dungeon Siege: In the Name of the King. One of the most high-profile and best-reviewed game films to date, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, was a commercial disappointment despite a nearly $200 million budget and the backing of Pirates of the Caribbean producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

Hope remains, however, as a film set in the Warcraft universe is currently in preproduction with Spider-Man director Sam Raimi at the helm. The project has the support of both film studio Warner Bros. and production company Legendary Pictures (The Dark Knight, Watchmen, 300).

For more on Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, read GameSpot's review or watch the video review below.

327 Comments

  • gamefreakwill

    Posted Dec 29, 2010 6:48 pm GMT

    To make this good, they should have Peter Jackson make it. Or maybe the team behind Avatar so they could make really amazing special effects on the Daedra. It'd have to be based on the main storyline only due to length purposes obviously. Filming should be done in New Zealand for the gorgeous scenery like LOTR. Actors for the the hero should be either Jason Statham or Bruce Willis. They really would need all star actors. Also to make it really a good movie they should have A LOT of fan input. The Great Gate Battle of Bruma would have to be epic with hundreds of extras battling it out. It'd be hard to make but worth it

  • codeman5533

    Posted Oct 19, 2010 1:39 pm GMT

    where's elder scrolls 5?

  • mars0master

    Posted Oct 3, 2010 5:19 am GMT

    Dude smzee that would be kick ass....

  • smzee27

    Posted Sep 28, 2010 10:52 pm GMT

    Oblivion was an amazing game... but not because of the main storyline. Which is, to be honest, somewhat generic.

    Now, if they did a story about the Brotherhood...

  • NeoIostars

    Posted Sep 14, 2010 10:15 pm GMT

    Yikes. This makes like, what, the 100th game licensed for movies in the last 12 months alone...?

  • Xbox360Gamer15

    Posted Sep 14, 2010 7:43 pm GMT

    @shakensparco

    I havent seen book of eli but it doesnt look anything like fallout from the trailers ive seen...the story of fallout 3 would be awesome in a movie

  • shakensparco

    Posted Sep 14, 2010 7:36 pm GMT

    @Xbox360Gamer15

    Isn't that why we have Book of Eli?

  • Xbox360Gamer15

    Posted Sep 14, 2010 7:24 pm GMT

    i kinda want a fallout 3 movie...

  • RJMGod

    Posted Sep 14, 2010 4:24 pm GMT

    WHEN it comes to elder scrolls 5?

  • kazumashadow

    Posted Sep 14, 2010 3:56 pm GMT

    i would watch a film bout killing adoring fan! they shpuld makehim a character in the movie. but till then still waiting for new elder scrolls

  • Oozyrat

    Posted Sep 14, 2010 1:43 pm GMT

    Please make a new Elder Scrolls. And if they do make a movie, please base it around the youtube videos where Chuck Norris is in it.

  • hvypetals

    Posted Sep 14, 2010 1:04 pm GMT

    Im all for it but please .. where is my Elder Scrolls 5 already!!!

  • Vengeful_Angel

    Posted Sep 14, 2010 10:17 am GMT

    This is so stupid...

    For their main character...
    Good or bad?
    What class?
    Male or female?
    And what species?

    Most likely your standard good, swordsman-esque, human male (fairly certain they aren't going to use a non-human for the lead role).
    Jinkies, how many of those have we seen already?

    It's not the same as other concepts where the character is already given.

    This goes for Mass Effect (minus the species), Warcraft, and Oblivion (and if they should do Fallout, minus the species.)

  • King9999

    Posted Sep 14, 2010 6:06 am GMT

    This movie will automatically fail because Patrick Stewart will only be in it for like two minutes.

  • BetaMan98

    Posted Sep 13, 2010 8:01 pm GMT

    I love this game, but who in Bethesda thought a movie was a good idea? Game movies most of the time (or always) fail. Hopefully, it'll just pass by and never happen, like the many other planned movie adaptations.

    NOW WHERE IS ELDER SCROLLS 5, BETHESDA?!?!?

  • andytisnt

    Posted Sep 13, 2010 6:52 pm GMT

    ummm the movie?? hmmmmm maybe not, game good though, i think they should make a mass effect movie, i think the storyline is more epic ect.

  • atteiramknight

    Posted Sep 13, 2010 4:36 pm GMT

    please don't make an Oblivion movie...just give me Elder Scrolls V

  • ebookerd1

    Posted Sep 13, 2010 7:23 am GMT

    as long as it is directed by Uwe Boll it will be destined for greatness!!! LOL

  • brain20035

    Posted Sep 13, 2010 6:43 am GMT

    make another game!! not another stupid @$$ Movie!!!

  • The_Gaming_Baby

    Posted Sep 13, 2010 6:30 am GMT

    GS@mosiro

    Metal Gear Solid is already a movie. Boom, roasted.

  • The_Gaming_Baby

    Posted Sep 13, 2010 6:29 am GMT

    This movie would suck, it would need too big of a budget to make all the different kinds of races not look terrible. I'd much rather a new Oblivion game.

  • Asheileon

    Posted Sep 13, 2010 12:46 am GMT

    Well who knows, maby they bouth the rights for Oblivion the movie so that no one could ever make a movie of of it plz let it be so !!!!!

  • harley2463

    Posted Sep 12, 2010 12:25 pm GMT

    Ehm, JJB03, They aint gonna make a new Oblivion game, They're gonna make a new "The Elder scrolls game"

  • JJB03

    Posted Sep 12, 2010 12:00 pm GMT

    i dont want to see a movie of oblivion that would be pants i want a new oblivion game!

  • grey_fox1984

    Posted Sep 12, 2010 11:18 am GMT

    im not sure if they're actually making a movie! they might just want to make the studios have to pay them when they want to make this:

    http://www.darkhorizons.com/news/18208/william-monahan-writes-from-oblivion-

    That's a link that talking about a movie being written about the GRAPHIC NOVEL "Oblivion", not the game.

  • Xplode_77

    Posted Sep 12, 2010 10:23 am GMT

    HECK FRIGG"N YEAH!!!!!

  • GSMosiro

    Posted Sep 12, 2010 10:16 am GMT

    Oblivion was a great game but the main storyline was pretty generic. I don't see this is being a great movie at all. There are far better games to be made into movies such as Metal Gear Solid or even Assassin's Creed.

  • calanorn

    Posted Sep 12, 2010 9:56 am GMT

    The fact that its a game to movie adaptation puts doubts in everyones minds.

    But to say games and movies dont mix so stop trying is a bit steep most of these movies based on games could be hugely successfull as the story lines in the games are good.

    They need to make the film with the same commitment they do with book adaptations like potter and lord of the rings if they put some effort in and didnt try and make a quick buck they could be huge. At the moment it seems the studio just want to capatalize on the name and nothing else also to clarify im not talking about the camera men or actors etc making an effort im on about studio heads trying to reel the film out on minimum budgets as quickly as possible.

  • John2Sparrow

    Posted Sep 12, 2010 9:00 am GMT

    One or more words within your message were automatically censored.

  • commander1122 posted Sep 12, 2010 8:54 am GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    commander1122

    Posted Sep 12, 2010 8:54 am GMT (hide)

    oblivion=sleepy=boring

  • mbrown726

    Posted Sep 12, 2010 8:32 am GMT

    Resident Evil series seems to be the only Game-to-movie success. I hope they do better than Prince of Persia did in Hollywood.

  • Ladiesman17

    Posted Sep 12, 2010 7:42 am GMT

    aw crap!!

  • geoff-uk123

    Posted Sep 12, 2010 7:25 am GMT

    Oh lord, when will Hollywood realise games and movies just don't mix? I guess they'll do anything to make money. I'd rather see Elder Scrolls V than this anyday.

  • aeronzes

    Posted Sep 12, 2010 5:10 am GMT

    i think almost all game-based film are very poor..
    but just wait and see bout this one

  • Rowo

    Posted Sep 12, 2010 4:40 am GMT

    So please new The Elder Scrolls V

  • acer_062

    Posted Sep 12, 2010 3:56 am GMT

    Save the money and make another Die Hard movie.

  • skeleme

    Posted Sep 12, 2010 12:15 am GMT

    If you have ever seen Far Cry the movie, that was possibly the worst movie ever made

    they better not do the same with this and ruin it like farcry
    Uwe Boll better not touch one little bit of it either...

  • VampiriLestat

    Posted Sep 11, 2010 10:43 pm GMT

    aaaah oblivion... i have been playing for what? 2-3 years?? when i get bored i stop for a couple of months then watch a video like this, download a few new mods and get all addicted to oblivion again. i really love this game! for me one of the best games ever created!

  • hotzball

    Posted Sep 11, 2010 10:35 pm GMT

    OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

  • lock445

    Posted Sep 11, 2010 7:18 pm GMT

    Did NOT expect this even in my wildest, off-the-wall dreams.

    How can a film, which follows a strict, written plot, correctly portray the most intimidatingly huge and awe-inspiring video game world jam-packed with thousands of choices and paths which can be experienced through multiple perspectives resulting in literally hundreds of hours of gameplay?

    ...expect an above-average familiar-feeling unoriginal fantasy warrior story... and ONLY if the budget is LARGE.

  • caityful

    Posted Sep 11, 2010 6:08 pm GMT

    I agree with @Damian149. Oblivion is an RPG, a decision-making game. How will that be reflected in a film? :S

  • JFH_PSfanboy

    Posted Sep 11, 2010 4:22 pm GMT

    the franchise in general is starting to get milked...

  • Damian149

    Posted Sep 11, 2010 3:40 pm GMT

    I don't know, but I can't imagine Oblivion as a Film...

  • shadowfan4life

    Posted Sep 11, 2010 2:40 pm GMT

    If they screw this up I'm going to get majorly ticked off. Oblivion is one of my favorite RPG's of all time! Please don't screw this up or I'll be knocking at your door with hundreds of other p.o.ed fans.

  • Asheileon

    Posted Sep 11, 2010 1:59 pm GMT

    Please give us TES V, not another raped game.

  • adamh1981

    Posted Sep 11, 2010 1:52 pm GMT

    STOP! They violated the law! No game should ever be turned into a film as it always ends in shame.
    Just make Elder Scrolls 5.

  • chechak7

    Posted Sep 11, 2010 1:29 pm GMT

    omg Hollywood wana destroy oblivion

  • SLjimbolian

    Posted Sep 11, 2010 11:23 am GMT

    Somewhere in Germany, Uwe is waiting by his phone.

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