MTV 'Suffering' with Midway
MTV is 'Suffering'
SepT 8, 2005
MTV Films, a division of Viacom, has acquired an option on the worldwide film rights to Midway Games' action horror game "The Suffering."
MTV Films is working in conjunction with Stan Winston and Brian Gilbert from Stan Winston Prods. and Jason Lust and Rick Jacobs from Circle of Confusion on the development of the horror film. MTV Films senior director of development Jason Weiss, who brought the project to the company, along with MTV Films director of development Gregg Goldin and MTV Films executive vp David Gale will be developing on behalf of MTV Films.
"We were tracking this project really early on, and it really was about the material itself for us," Gale said. "It felt very cinematic -- more cinematic than most video games and with a real sense of style -- with very strong characters."
Midway is majority-owned by Sumner Redstone, and this marks the third film -- following option deals with Christine Peters and Paramount Pictures for big-screen versions of "Area 51" and "John Singleton's Fear & Respect" -- for which the video game company has partnered with a Viacom studio on a game-to-movie translation. In addition, MTV and Midway will market three upcoming Midway games, beginning with the racing game "LA Rush," which will feature MTV branding throughout the game world with the crew from the MTV show "Pimp My Ride." The game also will be integrated into on-air programming.
"Synergy is a big part of the Viacom culture, and it's been interesting to watch as we interact with the Viacom entities," Midway Games chief marketing officer Steve Allison said. "The MTV Films and Paramount side of the business are legitimately looking to video games as a new IP source. Our business is changing rapidly, as is the movie business targeted to adult males. This potential synergy applies to us as well as our competitors equally if they're willing to see the benefit of taking a homegrown game IP to a larger audience via film, TV, etc."
The original game "The Suffering" has sold nearly 1.5 million copies worldwide on Xbox, PlayStation 2 and PC since it shipped in April 2004. Winston was involved in the creation of the game's creatures, working with developer Surreal Software, which has since been purchased by Midway. Midway ships a sequel, "The Suffering: Ties That Bind," on Sept. 26, which features a voice cast of Michael Clarke Duncan and Rachel Griffiths.
The games put players in the shoes of Torque, a man who was on death row in the first game when all hell literally broke loose and monstrous creatures invaded the island where his prison was located. The sequel sends Torque to Baltimore and involves a secret government organization and the nefarious Caleb Blackmore, the man behind the death of Torque's family. One of the unique elements of the game is the player's ability to enter a rage mode and transform into a hulking beast that can take out multiple enemies in a short amount of time.
Allison said he believes the film will tie in elements from both games and create an original story. He said the Surreal creators will be consulting with MTV Films and Paramount because they created the franchise. Allison will be involved along the way as executive producer, but the film's direction ultimately is going to be up to the filmmakers.
"At this point in the life cycle of our current hardware platforms, it's harder to break through all the noise," Allison said. "Having other components of our franchise hitting people in ways other than the game release gives the brand we own a greater chance of breaking out, standing on its own and becoming a franchise that can exist for years to come."
MTV Films is working in conjunction with Stan Winston and Brian Gilbert from Stan Winston Prods. and Jason Lust and Rick Jacobs from Circle of Confusion on the development of the horror film. MTV Films senior director of development Jason Weiss, who brought the project to the company, along with MTV Films director of development Gregg Goldin and MTV Films executive vp David Gale will be developing on behalf of MTV Films.
"We were tracking this project really early on, and it really was about the material itself for us," Gale said. "It felt very cinematic -- more cinematic than most video games and with a real sense of style -- with very strong characters."
Midway is majority-owned by Sumner Redstone, and this marks the third film -- following option deals with Christine Peters and Paramount Pictures for big-screen versions of "Area 51" and "John Singleton's Fear & Respect" -- for which the video game company has partnered with a Viacom studio on a game-to-movie translation. In addition, MTV and Midway will market three upcoming Midway games, beginning with the racing game "LA Rush," which will feature MTV branding throughout the game world with the crew from the MTV show "Pimp My Ride." The game also will be integrated into on-air programming.
"Synergy is a big part of the Viacom culture, and it's been interesting to watch as we interact with the Viacom entities," Midway Games chief marketing officer Steve Allison said. "The MTV Films and Paramount side of the business are legitimately looking to video games as a new IP source. Our business is changing rapidly, as is the movie business targeted to adult males. This potential synergy applies to us as well as our competitors equally if they're willing to see the benefit of taking a homegrown game IP to a larger audience via film, TV, etc."
The original game "The Suffering" has sold nearly 1.5 million copies worldwide on Xbox, PlayStation 2 and PC since it shipped in April 2004. Winston was involved in the creation of the game's creatures, working with developer Surreal Software, which has since been purchased by Midway. Midway ships a sequel, "The Suffering: Ties That Bind," on Sept. 26, which features a voice cast of Michael Clarke Duncan and Rachel Griffiths.
The games put players in the shoes of Torque, a man who was on death row in the first game when all hell literally broke loose and monstrous creatures invaded the island where his prison was located. The sequel sends Torque to Baltimore and involves a secret government organization and the nefarious Caleb Blackmore, the man behind the death of Torque's family. One of the unique elements of the game is the player's ability to enter a rage mode and transform into a hulking beast that can take out multiple enemies in a short amount of time.
Allison said he believes the film will tie in elements from both games and create an original story. He said the Surreal creators will be consulting with MTV Films and Paramount because they created the franchise. Allison will be involved along the way as executive producer, but the film's direction ultimately is going to be up to the filmmakers.
"At this point in the life cycle of our current hardware platforms, it's harder to break through all the noise," Allison said. "Having other components of our franchise hitting people in ways other than the game release gives the brand we own a greater chance of breaking out, standing on its own and becoming a franchise that can exist for years to come."
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