The Lord of the Rings and The Boys star Karl Urban performs Johnny Cage within the upcoming Road Fighter film, and now the actor has stated he needs to play one other John in a online game film.
Urban informed Square Mile that Rockstar’s Red Lifeless Redemption is one in every of his favourite video video games, and he would bounce on the probability to play the primary sport’s primary character, John Marston, if there have been ever an adaptation of the mission for movie or TV.
“I imply, come on, John Marston! I might like to play that character,” he stated.
Urban additionally shared that the 2010 sport is one in every of Urban’s favorites. He stated when he was youthful he did not get the possibility to change into “closely invested within the gaming tradition” as a result of he was an unemployed actor residing and “could not afford these consoles.” Now, he can, however that stage of fame and success additionally meant he was more and more busy and did not have a lot time for gaming.
When he did get a break, nonetheless, Urban obtained into Red Lifeless Redemption. “I used to be so busy engaged on numerous initiatives world wide that I used to be by no means capable of get into [gaming],” he stated. “Sometimes, after I did get the uncommon alternative, Red Lifeless was definitely one of many video games that spoke to me.”
Actor Jack Black has stated again and again for years that he cannot perceive why Red Lifeless Redemption hasn’t been tailored for a movie or TV present but as a result of the sport is so cinematic. If it have been to get an adaptation, Black stated he needs to be in it in some capability.
If Urban will get his want to play John Marston someday, it would not be his first position in a online game adaptation, as he performed Reaper in 2005’s poorly obtained Doom film.
What’s occurred thus far
Rockstar and mum or dad firm Take-Two have by no means made a Red Lifeless Redemption film or TV present, and actually, the one Rockstar property to get made right into a film was Max Payne. Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis starred within the poorly obtained 2008 movie, nevertheless it was commissioned previous to Rockstar shopping for the Max Payne IP from Treatment, which created the primary Max Payne sport.
Rockstar is particularly protecting of its IP. The rapper and actor Eminem might have starred in a GTA film directed by Ridley Scott, nevertheless it by no means got here collectively. Movie and TV executives have approached Rockstar proprietor Take-Two through the years about making a GTA film, however the firm has at all times stated no as a result of it needs to have artistic management.
There has by no means been an official GTA film, however the BBC produced a movie known as The Gamechangers wherein Daniel Radcliffe performed Rockstar co-founder Sam Houser. Rockstar Video games sued the BBC over the manufacturing.
Take-Two does not make many films
Past Rockstar, Take-Two’s 2K division has been extra prepared to promote film rights to its franchises, and never at all times with success. The 2024 Borderlands film was poorly obtained and bombed on the field workplace, however Lionsgate funded the film, so the harm is extra reputational than monetary for Take-Two and 2K. The following 2K title to get a film adaptation is BioShock, which is getting spun right into a Netflix film with The Starvation Video games director Francis Lawrence connected.
Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick, a former film government, stated films and TV variations solely signify a “comparatively small alternative” by way of the cash that may be made. He stated profitable variations like The Tremendous Mario Bros. Film and HBO’s The Final of Us have been uncommon examples of video video games discovering success with TV and movie variations.
“And to level out two success as notable as they might be, belies the truth that there are a lot of, many failures the place cash was misplaced,” he stated. “Thus far, we have taken a really selective method to licensing.”
Nothing is dominated out for future variations, although. “We might see licensing sooner or later when there is a artistic crucial and an financial alternative,” Zelnick stated.