The Movies Spiritual Successor Will Let You Prove You're A Cinematic Visionary

Cinema returns with Blockbuster Inc, a management sim and creative suite a la 2005 cult classic The Movies, and you can try the prologue for free right now on Steam.

Like its inspiration, Blockbuster Inc. tasks you with building a movie studio, starting in the silent era all the way to the modern day. You'll have to cast stars, customize your sets and studio lots, and hire writers, producers, and crew. Every staff member has their own personality traits and quirks, which may or may not help them work with others.

Aside the management elements, you can write and direct your own films with the Direct Scene feature. You can pose actors, adjust lighting, change shots, edit individual scenes together, and otherwise dabble with your movie's look and feel.

The Movies was a Lionhead Studios game that released to fairly positive reviews but tepid sales. It had an online database where players could upload their own films a year before YouTube existed. Some of these films even broke out into the broader culture. The most famous of these was The French Democracy, a potent protest film about police brutality in France.

Blockbuster Inc. is currently planned to launch sometime in Q2 2024.