Story Kitchen and DreamWorks Animation recently announced a strategic partnership that’s got the gaming and animation communities buzzing. But don’t break out the party hats just yet—this alliance could spell trouble for beloved video game IPs.
The deal involves Story Kitchen, a company known for its knack for turning video games into TV shows and movies (Story Kitchen revealed in December 2022 a collaboration with Sloclap to produce a live-action feature film adaptation of Sifu), teaming up with DreamWorks Animation, a studio with a history of creating animated worlds. The goal? To adapt popular video game franchises into animated features for global audiences. Story Kitchen said in a statement: “We’re incredibly excited to work with DreamWorks Animation as our first -official- film partner, since SK launched in 2022.”
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However, recent history has shown that such adaptations often fall flat, leaving fans disappointed and games’ legacies tarnished. With Hollywood’s track record of botching game-to-film translations, there’s a real risk that more cherished titles could be headed for the DEI treatment. The sentiment among fans is palpable; the mere prospect of more woke adaptations of games hitting the silver screen is enough to make some cringe.
The few successes in the past have been overshadowed by the long list of flops. For every “Sonic the Hedgehog,” there’s a “Super Mario Bros.” debacle waiting to happen. While the partnership between Story Kitchen and DreamWorks Animation might sound like a dream come true for some, for others, it’s a nightmare waiting to happen. Only time will tell whether this collaboration will breathe new life into beloved video game worlds or leave them in shambles.
For now, we’ll hold off on the celebrations and brace ourselves for the inevitable onslaught of disappointing adaptations. With both Story Kitchen and DreamWorks Animation yet to unveil specifics about upcoming projects, speculation is rife within the community. Will they do justice to beloved franchises like Tomb Raider, or will they join the ranks of failed adaptations that have come before?
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Regardless of the outcome, one thing is clear: the stakes are high for both companies. DreamWorks Animation, with its reputation for creating immersive animated worlds, has much to gain from successfully translating beloved video game IPs to the screen. However, failure to do so could damage its standing in the industry and alienate fans.
Similarly, Story Kitchen, with its track record of securing rights to popular video game IPs, has a lot riding on the success of this partnership. While the potential rewards are significant, so too are the risks.
In the end, only time will tell whether this partnership will result in successful adaptations that resonate with audiences or whether it will add to the long list of disappointments in the realm of video game adaptations. For now, fans are cautiously optimistic, but they remain ever wary of the potential pitfalls that lie ahead.
What do you think of Story Kitchen and DreamWorks recent output? Leave a comment and let us know.
Major red flags when you see the phrase “Global Audiences” it means Modern audiences which don’t exist.