Summit Summit 2025: Why trust and authenticity are key to Hollywood adaptations

Video game adaptations continue to make a big splash in Hollywood. Minecraft Movie has won over $ 900 million In theaters around the world. Second season of HBO’s The last of us They collected enthusiastic reviews, with a third season in the work. And more movies based on games and television shows-including the second season of Amazon’s Fallout and an extension of Super Mario Bros. – They are on the way.

According to The Hollywood and Games Talk on Summit Summit 2025 in Los Angeles, one thing that all these successful adaptations share is an commitment to authenticity. They capture the spirit of the franchise they are based on and took the time to understand what these games did so special in the first place.

“I think the thing that the best films have done well is to listen to the base of the fans,” said Baobab Studios Maureen Fan CEO on the panel. “There is this in Hollywood (attitude):” I am creative, I know the best. ” And I feel that the reasons why these top movies did well is that they actually listened. “

Part of this involves attracting people to focus groups, but it is also important to talk to the original creators regularly. When working on IP video game adaptations, a fan and her team meet with developers a month to register and ask how their audience will feel about the project.

“My experience is a consumer experience research, so I really appreciate this (process). But it’s really something my team had to learn,” Fan said. “My co-founder directed all Madagascar’s films. My co-chief creative officer was the only Moana producer. So they come from this world, which is very” I know better. ” But in recent years, however, when we were around, they have now come to the point that they are craving this data.

Another factor is the talent behind the camera. As long as it seems that film and television companies are in the arms race because of the chasing big games for games, Alcon Interactive President George Collins thinks it will become increasingly important to pair these properties with the right directors and writers, especially those who have a unique point of view or who can say something new with the brand.

“If you think of things like Greta Gervig who make Barbie, or (Phil) Lord and (Christopher) Miller, who makes Lego – these could be really banal, horrible movies,” Collins said. “But since they really had a (specific) idea, they took it in directions you would not expect. That made them good.”

But as successful as it is, as much as this recent sheet of movies and television shows, there are still many big names such as Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto, which have not yet made a jump to Hollywood. For Dan Prog, head of Skydance Interactive, one of the main reasons for this is the cost.

“You will not receive auto -bairs for a spectacular theft for something cheap these days and this is only for the license fee, right?” Said. “And then you throw the actual production value that you will need to enter to match the level of expectation, in my opinion the audience (would have) – people will just look at the spreadsheet and be like” no, this is a huge risk. ” It can be a huge hit, but it is also a huge risk. “

Collins noted that more specially, Call of Duty’s film is floating around Hollywood for a little while, but the problem is less for costs and more about finding the right script and history.

“I think it’s better to get a script, or a pilot, or a theatrical script in which you believe,” Collins said. “You need to be able to attach people you know you can really make a good movie or a good TV show, a good showroom. And it’s not as easy as you think.”

Without the right talent and history behind a project, you run the risk of damaging not only the brand of the movie, but also the reputation of the game and the developer. Back, when a fan was Vice President of Zynga Games, she recalled how Farmville’s success attracted one of Hollywood who wanted to make a TV show on Farmville. She said not at this time, arguing that the game was already making a lot of money and did not want to risk damaging his reputation.

“There are many disadvantages, because if someone makes an adaptation, they will fuck my brand and endanger my main stream of revenue or upset my members, my players, right? I really need to trust that I believe in this director, I believe in this scenario to do it,” said Fen.