According to a recent discussion at this year's Dice Summit in Las Vegas, between current Star Wars director J.J. Abrams and Valve’s Gabe Newell, who have been talking about making either a Portal or Half-Life movie. Before you get excited though, fans should note that the developments for both potential movies are in the early stages.
At the Summit, the director and Newell also spoke about coming together to create a game, in which Valve's co-founder and president expressed his excitement for bringing the Half-Life and Portal franchises to the big screen.
Abrams said:
"There’s an idea we have for a game that we’d like to work with Valve on,”
Then Newell pitched in saying…
“We’re super excited about that and we also want to talk about making movies, either a Portal movie or a Half-Life movie.”
Sticking with the movie side of things, after the 25-minute talk, Abrams spoke to Polygon saying that the project is “as real as anything in Hollywood ever gets.” And that while they have a bunch of ideas, a writer is currently planned to be brought in…
"Which is that we are really talking to Valve, we are going to be bringing on a writer, we have a lot of very interesting ideas.”
However, both Newell and Abrams assured the fans of the series that they are aware of the long history of poor movies based on games and bad games being based on movies. Abrams explained…
"We’re also aware of the cautionary tales of movies that became games and vice versa. Our goal here to is treat the world Valve has created in both these properties like anyone would a book or some great story that comes from a pitch or original script – just to treat it with respect they treat their games and their players with.”
Going to the game front when speaking to
Polygon, Abrams wouldn't release any details, saying that the game is still early in development, but the
Star Trek director was quick to express his excitement for the project and getting the opportunity to work alongside Valve…
“We are at early enough stages that I can’t talk about it now, but I can’t wait to talk about it... The opportunity to work with Valve is something I couldn't be more excited about.”
Hopefully if a
Portal movie ever does see the light of day, It'll be along the lines of last year's excellent fan film titled "
No Escape" But what do you think g1s? Are you excited to see Newell and Abrams coming together? Or should videogames remain videogames and directors stay to directing movies? Let me know in the comments down below!
g1 DISCUSSIONS
darkhyrulelord
I don't think it needs to but....
Fish_Outta_Hell
I would want to see a Half Life movie over Portal. It would be difficult to pull off a movie with Portal. I think that should just stay as a game. So many things could go wrong if they put that on the big screen... Aside from that, I am all for Half Life.
Quark
I've always said that if a Half-life movie ever gets made, J. J. Abrams is the person to do it. The style and feel of Half-life is just something I think he would be able to pull off as a movie. Fingers crossed this gets to happen, and happen awesomely.
Lloyf
"Alright I've been thinking. When life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade. Make life take the lemons back. Get mad! I don't want your damn lemons! What am I supposed to do with these? Demand to see life's manager. Make life rue the day it thought it could give Cave Johnson lemons! Do you know who I am? I'm the man who's gonna burn your house down, with the lemons. I'm gonna get my engineers to invent a combustible lemon that burns your house down!"
caboose_-1
A Portal movie detailing the rise and fall of Aperture (or just the fall), the creation of GLADoS, and the Borealis setting sail...That could work.
ShrapnelLeader
Please happen!
ShrapnelLeader
It would work perfectly together with both games in the same universe.
Palmerama
Fuck off Abrams! I would have thought he already had enough on his plate with directing the two biggest sci-fi franchises. He's a competent director but not a great one. I don't like the idea of him directing Star Wars. The last thing I want is to be blinded by the lens flare coming off Freeman's glasses!
caboose_-1
So you'd prefer Spieldberg or Michael Bay? How about Guillermo del Toro, with vivid colors and strange plot twists? Or James Cameron with a copy-paste plot and long drawn-out romance segments? Abrams is a good choice if you ask me.
Albino Rhino
Just cause the guy doesn't want Abrahms to do it (neither do I) why are the directors you mentioned the only other alternatives?