Just a few short hours ago director J.J. Abrams and Valve’s Gabe Newell gave the keynote at the D.I.C.E. 2013 summit. What did they talk about? Movies for Portal and/or Half-Life, that’s what. The conversation mostly focused on storytelling between movies and games but the announcement was made the two are seriously looking into this.
Sweet mother.
It remains to be seen how far this will get (Halo?) but I’m actually feeling pretty good about it for a change. I like J.J. Abrams for the most part, the new Star Trek was pretty good. The number one problem, I’ve always believed, with video game movies is that studios rarely seem to care about quality. Half the time it feels as though they just had an old sci-fi/horror/fantasy script laying around and just slap a game’s title and characters on it. Whatever will be, will be I suppose.
And hopefully this will jump start Half-Life 3.
(h/t Joystiq)
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Wow. Just wow. I really hope this happens. I liked the new Star Trek movie too. It wasn’t perfect, but it was pretty good for what it was.
This could be amazing. J.J. Has a solid sci-fi track record. I could picture him doing some really cool things with this.
-Mileson
I can totaly see someone that doesn’t suck at directing making a good game-turned-movie. I’d be excited to see what J.J. can do with either or both of those titles.
I also support your optimism about HL3. I have stopped counting the days, but would love to have another awesome HL game.
Half-Life 3 will be announced when the world stops turning. It’s kind of a running joke at this point.
I’m very into the idea of a well-done Half-Life movie. The story has always been film worthy.
I would really love to see a decent film of a video game adaptation. You’re right about the quality issue. It really is like the story behind the game, is the first thing to go out the window. Along with any hopes of a decent cast of course. But really. It’s ironic, because they don’t realize that usually the story is what created the fan base that they’re hoping to tap into with the movie. Round and round we go. JJ has resources though, and he’s no Bay, so we might be in for a treat.
J.J. could so some really amazing things with the story. I’m hoping the movie focuses on the story and not lame, over-done action sequences. Regardless, it’s probably just as far off as HL3.
I really, really don’t like the newest Star Trek movie (hope that Into Darkness is a lot better), but I’m hyped that HL and Portal get such a famous, potential director 😀
I’m the exact opposite. I thought the new Star Trek was amazing. I don’t even like Star Trek and I could appreciate that movie. I think J.J. does a solid job of blending classic sci-fi with amazing action.
-Mileson
Oh, he does an amazing job regarding the mix of sci-fi and action. It’s just that I felt, through the entire movie, like I was watching a sci-fi movie that happened to look a lot like Star Trek, but feel a lot like…y’know, a generic sci-fi action movie. Maybe I’m just a grumpy, far too critical viewer 😉
I heard a lot of true “trekkies” didn’t really appreciate the new direction of the series, That’s probably the main reason I like it haha
As excited as I am at the prospect of HL being made into film, it is slightly depressing that they’re talking about a movie before even finishing the series. At the rate it’s been going it wouldn’t surprise me if the movie came out before the game, and that would just be wrong.
I’m still clinging on to the hope that one day I’ll log onto Steam and see HL3 there, having been released without any marketing whatsoever, simply basking in its own glory.
Guy can dream right?
HL3 will come out one day… Maybe… I had an epiphany at work today. Valve never makes a 3rd game. Left 4 Dead 2, Half-Life 2, Portal 2…. come on Valvae just commit already!
-Mileson
First Star Trek, then Star WARS, now this?! I’m being to think that J.J Abrams might be trying to be every geek’s Valentine for the next decade.
Seriously he’s just exploding onto the geek scene. He is going to achieve god-like status anytime now. I’m hoping he can revive the Star Wars films. The prequels were less than satisfactory.
-Mileson
I really really hope the HL movie will be as good as Star Trek. *fingers crossed.* And that they pic a good looking Gordon Freeman… XD Guys have Lara Croft, girls (well, me) have Gordon Freeman.
I think Bryan Cranston would make an awesome Gordon Freeman. That’s who I’d vote for.
Don’t know about that… he’s okay, but not perfect.
Who’s your perfect Gordon?
Karl Urban (but then he’d do it for me in any movie) or Gary Oldman… haven’t given it much thought now that I have to think on it.
Karl Urban is definitely a stud and Gary Oldman can honestly do anything he wants, the man is a genius.
-Mileson
Oh man, that sounds amazing! If they have a Portal movie, they definitely need to keep the person who voiced Glados in the game!
I’m sure they would be down. I guess for the Pacific Rim trailer that same voice was used.