Red Dead Redemption movie gets disappointing update
After years of dismissing their viability as unfeasible, video game films are on their way back, although unfortunately Rockstar IPs won’t be made into movies anytime soon.
Video game film adaptations have achieved the unthinkable; in doing so they have actually turned out well. Iconic characters such as Sonic the Hedgehog and Super Mario have found their way onto big screens; soon to follow suit will be The Legend Of Zelda.
Small screen audiences have also benefitted, with HBO’s The Last Of Us becoming one of the most watched series on streaming platform Netflix.
Popular speculation among fans regarding these adaptations includes which video game franchise may be next; among them being Red Dead Redemption series.
Fans have put forth concepts for how Rockstar’s Western IP could look on screen; with talk even emerging of an eventual Red Dead Redemption movie being produced.
After Rockstar revealed the first trailer of Grand Theft Auto VI would premiere in December, Take-Two confirmed to me that no movies for GTA or Red Dead Redemption will ever happen.
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has stated the company will take an “extremely selective approach to licensing” films; plans include Borderlands and BioShock live action productions while they believe a Red Dead Redemption film would be too risky.
Zelnick noted it would not risk “someone else’s execution in another area of entertainment business”, meaning they don’t trust anyone to deliver a faithful adaptation of their series live-action style.
Red Dead Redemption 3 seems likely to arrive after Grand Theft Auto VI launches and its popularity only seems to increase further.
At some point, Rockstar and Take-Two may decide that investing in live-action films and series would be too lucrative an opportunity to pass up.
