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These days, video games have just as much cinematic feel and atmosphere as a Hollywood production. There are voice actors, brilliant stories, and visuals that all help to immerse the players in the world of the games. It takes a strong and creative mind to put all of this together with the help of their team. Perhaps some of those who have proven success on film with the silver screen should take a swing at your living room tv.
There have been a handful of film directors who have actually made their way over to video games. Steven Spielberg helped to make the Medal of Honor series after Saving Private Ryan, John Woo made Strangehold with his old friend Chow Yun-Fat. More recently, Guillermo del Toro notably stepped in to help in the creation of PT, which turned out to be a Silent Hills demo. Unfortunately, that game never came into being, but it doesn’t mean this trend cannot continue.
Here are the Top 5 Film Directors we would like to see take a crack at the video game industry
1. J.J. Abrams
J.J. Abrams has done nearly the impossible. He rebooted both the Star Trek and the Star Wars franchises and did a hell of a good job at both. It is fair to say that if you have gained the trust of those two fan bases, you must be doing something right. Even before taking on these two projects, Abrams has pushed the limits of creativity with trailblazing television shows such as Alias and Lost. He has written and produced plenty of unique films. This shows that he is not afraid of taking on new things. Hideo Kojima visited him on his trip around the world, so maybe a step into the gaming industry is not such a stretch.
2. Ridley Scott
Ridley Scott has had quite a famous film career, and it’s not over yet. He is the man behind amazing and dark pictures, such as Alien, Blade Runner, and Gladiator, hitting a wide range of genres, from space adventures, to cop dramas, historical pieces, and military films. The man simply knows how to tell a good story. What is even more appealing about Scott is his ability to mold strong female characters, which is something the video game industry is often behind on. With Alien’s Ellen Ripley, Thelma and Louise, and G.I. Jane, he has proven that women can be the heroes to save the day anytime.
3. Joseph Kosinski
He may not be a household name like the others on this list, but his short resume is enough to earn him a spot. Even before his feature film debut, TRON: Legacy, which is basically a video game itself, he was known for making two of the greatest video game trailers ever released. First was the Gears of War ‘Madworld’ commercial, and then Halo 3’s live action first person trailer. Both helped set the tone for what players would be experiencing in their respective games. Two things in common with both of Kosinski’s feature films, TRON:Legacy and Oblivion, they both have stunning visuals and fantastic use of music. These two things would really help to make a great video game. Since then, he’s also directed trailers for Destiny and Doom, so you know he has an affinity for the industry.
4. The Wachowskis
Okay, this may be two people, but they are siblings who have always worked together, meaning we’re counting them as one unit. Like others on the list, the Wachowskis basically have used great visuals and storytelling to create unique worlds that have stayed in people’s minds for a long time. In a similar argument to Ridley Scott, they also created a show called Sense8, which beautifully represents characters of all races, creeds, and genders. To have more of this in the video game industry would be wonderful. These two had their hands in video games once before with games based on The Matrix, but it would be nice to see them create something completely new. Also, they created The Matrix. That should be enough.
5. Brad Bird
Brad Bird is one the most prolific people to work at Pixar. Maybe you’ve heard of it. Over the past two decades, Pixar has had a way of making films universally entertaining to all ages, with brilliantly written characters and heartwarming stories, better than anyone else in the business. Bird specifically has worked on The Incredibles and Ratatouille. What makes him even better to come into video games is that he has had great success outside of Pixar. He worked on early seasons on The Simpsons and directed a Mission Impossible film. This outer range along with working on one of the greatest creative teams of all time makes him a perfect candidate to work on a lovable video game for everyone.
Honorable Mention: Stanley Kubrick
In a very different sense than Brad Bird, who has made joyous films for children to enjoy, Stanley Kubrick made older audiences’ skin crawl with toxic atmospheres and gruesome images, all the while making our heads spin with twisted ideas and intelligent design. The only reason he is an honorable mention is for the sad fact that he passed away in 1999. If he were still alive today, I believe he would be able to create a game that would make players have to think outside of the box, while trying to progress in the dark and doomy world he created.