For years, video game fans have lamented about inferior movie and television adaptations of their favorite franchises. Thankfully, Sony Interactive Entertainment is slowly changing that. In 2019, the company launched PlayStation Productions, a subsidiary for adapting the most popular games into stories for the big and small screens. This is achieved through collaboration between the film and television departments at Sony Pictures with SIE Worldwide Studios.
In December 2020, Sony Pictures CEO Tony Vinciquerra announced that the company was working on seven movies and seven TV shows based on PlayStation video game content. So far, we have gotten four, with God of War, Ghost of Tsushima, Days Gone, and Gravity Rush rumored to be in development. But how good are the movies and shows that have already been released? Regarding the plots, there’s room for improvement, but when it comes to looks and thrills, things are perfect.
Here’s how the current productions rank against each other.
Release Date July 27, 2023
Seasons 1
PlayStation’s classic vehicular combat game has a bloody and funny television adaption that broke viewership records on Peacock. Like the game, Twisted Metal is set in a post-apocalyptic world that was destroyed by a large-scale cyberattack. Cities are now walled fortresses, and all criminals have been exiled, forcing them to live in lawless areas. Outside the cities, a few individuals work as “milkmen” (deliverymen tasked with transporting goods between cities). Things heat up when John Doe (Anthony Mackie), a wise-cracking milkman, is given an offer to retrieve a package from New Chicago, in exchange for citizenship in New San Francisco.
Mad Max Type of Fun
This action-packed show is a layered, aesthetically bold portrait of class and stifled frustrations. Riding around in EV3L1N (Evelyn), a turbocharged, orange 2002 Subaru WRX fitted with machine guns and missiles, Doe gives viewers the kinds of thrills that video game lovers have enjoyed for a long time.
Because Mackie has been in this kind of project before, he comes off as very comfortable, making us all feel very welcome in this atmospheric world that’s fueled by carnage. And the presence of Sweet Tooth, a killer clown in an armored ice cream truck, makes things even better.
Beyond that, the writers pepper the apocalyptic thriller with political and social elements, drawing parallels to the real world. There’s a general Mad Max feel to it. The only downsides are that the episodes are too short, and some of the plots too thin. Still, viewers are likely to ignore the minor blemishes.
Stream it on Peacock
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3 Uncharted (2022)
Nathan Drake is recruited by treasure hunter Victor Sullivan to recover a fortune amassed by Ferdinand Magellan, and lost 500 years ago. Starring Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg and Antonio Banderas.
Release Date February 18, 2022
Runtime 116 minutes
In Uncharted, seasoned fortune hunter Victor “Sully” Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) recruits the street-smart bartender Nathan “Nate” Drake (Tom Holland) to help him recover the fabled treasure of the Magellan expedition. A simple heist soon becomes a wild globe-trotting adventure to recover the prize before the ever-malicious Santiago Moncada (Antonio Banderas) can get his hands on it. Everything is possible, but only if Sully and Nate can learn to stay on the same page.
Tom Holland is Outstanding
A direct adaptation of the first game in the franchise, Uncharted is no standard adventure film. It both romanticizes and satirizes treasure hunting and mythology, creating the ultimate buddy movie, thanks to the wonderful chemistry between Holland and Wahlberg. That star power, combined with perfect choreography and a score by Ramin Djawadi (best known for his work in Game of Thrones), creates a one-of-a-kind picture that’s by turns lyrical, riveting, and hilarious. That said, praise aside, the dialogue could have been better.
Stream it on Hulu
2 Gran Turismo (2023)
Release Date August 11, 2023
Based on the racing simulation video game series of the same name, Gran Turismo gives a semi-fictionalized account of real-life of British teenager Jann Mardenborough, a Gran Turismo player who became an expert professional racing car driver by applying what he had learned in the game. Jann got his opportunity after Nissan established the GT Academy to recruit skilled players of the game. Despite his father’s disapproval, Jann enlisted and went on to become a star of the sport.
Wild Races Complemented by a Simple Story
Want to see what inspired acting looks like? Here’s your movie. The adaptation is elevated by Archie Madekwe’s amazing, virtual one-man show. Secondary characters are interesting, but they all serve as pillars to hold Jann high. Madekwe’s excitement isn’t all that uncommon; rather, it’s his unmatched ability to channel it that astounds. Whether he is concentrating on the wheel or bantering with his character’s friends, he makes everything feel authentic.
A film like this would also be nothing without superior racing sequences. Luckily, we have those. The climactic 24-hour race in France is especially brilliant, giving audiences a desire to grab a gaming pad as soon as the end credits start rolling. Fans of the game might be disappointed by how the film eschews the basics, but fans of high-octane racing movies will undoubtedly give a thumbs up to this wonderful feature directed by Neill Blomkamp. From his District 9 days, the filmmaker has always been a master of visuals and spectacle, and he maintains that energy here.
Stream it on Netflix
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1 The Last of Us (2023)
Release Date January 15, 2023
Cast Pedro Pascal , Bella Ramsey , Anna Torv , lamar johnson , Jeffrey Pierce , Keivonn Woodard , John Getz , Olivier Ross-Parent , Samuel Hoeksema , Gabriel Luna , Merle Dandridge , Nico Parker , Melanie Lynskey , John Hannah , Josh Brener , Christopher Heyerdahl , Brad Leland , Marcia Bennett , Brendan Fletcher , Jerry Wasserman , Wendy Gorling , Jessica Belbin , Haysam Kadri , Sarah Himadeh , Caitlin Howden , Max Montesi , Natasha Mumba , Gina Louise Phillips , Taylor St. Pierre , Ryan D. Clarke , Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah , Logan Pierce
Seasons 1
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There is nothing to smile about in The Last of Us. Events kick off in 2003 when a mass infection of mutated Cordyceps fungi sparks a worldwide pandemic and causes people to turn into zombie-like creatures. Consequently, society collapses. Initially, Joel (Pedro Pascal) tries to flee with his daughter, only for her to get killed. 20 years later, he is shown living in a Boston quarantine zone (QZ) managed by the Federal Disaster Response Agency (FEDRA). Because resources are scarce, he takes up a career as a smuggler. Soon, he finds himself with the challenging task of smuggling a young girl out of a quarantine zone.
Another Major HBO Hit
Both an allegory for geopolitical conflicts and humanity’s cruelty, The Last of Us is a perfect balance of emotion and lyrical social commentary, with outstanding performances by Pascal and Nick Offerman. While the production design matches that of the game, the series writers’ exercise plenty of creative liberties and the story ends up better as a result. So good is the writing that the third episode has already been labeled one of the finest things ever seen on television.
Because of its brilliance, the show won multiple awards, including eight Primetime Emmy Awards out of 24 nominations. What’s even better? We are only in the infancy stages. There’s a lot more apocalyptic mayhem coming and fans will be waiting impatiently.
Stream it on Max
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