Ubisoft Announces New Movie About A Video Game Reviewer Who Is Unlucky In Love

In addition to adapting its major franchises for TV and film, Ubisoft's Film and Television division is behind original script ideas, and the latest one was announced on Wednesday. Scriptwriter Annabel Seymour has closed a script deal for a feature film about a video game reviewer who is "unlucky in love," so she plays her dating life like a video game.

Seymour took part in Ubisoft's 2020 Women's Film & Television Fellowship and developed the script pitch out of that. It's still early days for the movie, which is called Replay, as Seymour has sold the script but it seemingly hasn't found a studio or talent yet. But it's an important milestone.

"Annabel is one of the funniest people I've ever met. We love the way she's married the romantic comedy genre with the rules, repetition, and winnings of the gaming world in Replay, and can't wait to dive into another fun Ubisoft original film," Ubisoft film boss Margaret Boykin said in a statement.

Seymour said Replay will be an "emotionally driven, relatable comedy that can resonate with gamers and non-gamers alike.

The fellowship is now in its fourth year, and it's aimed at supporting women, non-binary, trans, gender-nonconforming, and gender-variant people. Submissions for the 2021 fellowship are open now through this online portal through May 14.

Those selected for the fellowship receive a six-month, non-exclusive paid fellowship program where they get access to Ubisoft's IP for film and TV ideas, while they can also pitch original ideas as Seymour did. For the new edition of the fellowship in 2021, anyone in the US who is 18 or older can apply, and they don't need to have talent management. Those applying for the fellowship cannot have any film projects in development at a major studio or any produced credits. The TV fellowship, meanwhile, allows for applicants to have a staff writer credit.

Successful applicants will also receive help for legal affairs, budgeting, and marketing, while they also get the opportunity to attend writers' rooms and development meetings.

The first project coming out of the women's fellowship at Ubisoft is writer Mishna Wolff's Werewolves Within, which is a horror comedy starring Sam Richardson (Veep) and Milana Vayntrub, the spokesperson seen in many AT&T commercials. It debuts June 25 in theaters and on digital platforms from IFC films.

Some of Ubisoft Film & Television's previously released work includes the Assassin's Creed movie starring Michael Fassbender and the Rabbids TV show on Netflix. The company also has deals in place to make movies based on The Division for Netflix, a live-action Assassin's Creed series also for Netflix, and a Beyond Good & Evil movie for Netflix as well. Outside of the Netflix deals, Ubisoft Film & Television is working on the video game TV show Mythic Quest for Apple TV and a Just Dance movie for Sony's Screen Gems.

Ubisoft is also developing a movie based on senior citizens who are joining the world of eSports; it's inspired by former GameSpot editor Laura Parker's 2019 Wall Street Journal story, "The Next Generation of Competitive Gamers Is ... Over 60?"