I have very fond memories of playing the original Nintendo when I was growing up. Those memories lasted until my second year in college when I bought the brand new Nintendo 64 with the Mario 64 game. The Mario 64 blew all things before it away. My last year in the dormitory at the University of Washington was mostly spent having all the guys on my floor—and many of the girls—stopping by to play the new system and keeping me up at night!
After that, I lost interest. And even in recent years with great advancements in gaming technology I still don’t hold much interest. I’d rather be reading or going to the movies or writing on my book. But the film adaptation of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time has me glued to the internet for developments.
Why, might you ask?
Mike Newell, the director of Prince of Persia, has also been chosen to helm the director’s seat for the live-action film adaptation of The Elfstones of Shannara by Terry Brooks!
I know what you are probably thinking. "Oh great, another game being turned into a movie. Like Doom and Laura Croft was not enough? Get outta here, Shawn!"
To be honest, I don't know why. I've never played the game and I have no idea if it is conducive to film adaptation. I want this game adaptation to succeed, however, because if it does it might be very easy for Warner Bros. to greenlight The Elfstones of Shannara forward with Newell involved.
First, Mike Newell has been in Hollywood a very long time. He has directed a menagerie of different kinds of movies, including Four Weddings and a Funeral, Donnie Brasco, Pushing Tin, Mona Lisa Smile, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Love in the Time of Cholera, and The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones. What I like about Newell is his involvement in movies that are character driven, that are about relationships, and he's had involvement with directing CGI and adapting a novel. All of these things are necessary for The Elfstones of Shannara to be adapted correctly in my mind and Newell has them.
And I like the cast Newell has brought together for Prince of Persia and that bodes well for possible success and doors opening later:
Jake Gyllenhaal plays the lead role as Prince Dastan, an adventurous street prince who must team up with a rival princess to stop a tyrannical ruler from unleashing a sandstorm that could destroy the world.
Gemma Arterton, who plays princess Tamina, is one of the rising stars in Hollywood; she also has roles in the new James Bond movie Quantum of Solace and the Guy Ritchie/Gerard Butler movie RockNRolla. Ben Kingsley, one of the finest actors around, plays Nizam, and Alfred Molina, of Frida and Spiderman 2 fame, plays Sheik Amar.
A great cast!
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time has a release date of May 28, 2010. It is being filmed right now and gamers are sure to go see it upon release!
While this is another video game adaptation, it could have far-reaching consequences for those who read a lot of fantasy. If The Elfstones of Shannara is also one of your favorite books, watch the developments of Prince of Persia closely; it might be the one thing that might lead to The Elfstones of Shannara making it to the silver screen!
Funny how Hollywood works, isn't it?
Did the movie actually get pushed to 2010? I was hoping to see it next year.
Sadly, it's been pushed back:
"Disney has today announced that the Prince of Persia movie adaptation will no longer be hitting its June 19th 2009 release date - instead being pushed back a whole year to May 28th 2010. Rather than contend with the likes of Transformers 2, the PoP movie will now be up against Shrek Goes Fourth and Marvel’s new title, “Thor”. -- August 1, 2008"
Hmmm. I question the wisdom in putting it up against Thor which will target the same demographic. But who knows. Two years from now, everything could be different. Maybe three different Judd Apatow films will open on the same day instead.
Oh man, the Prince of Persia games are so beautiful. Sometimes, when you're hanging one-handed on the crumbling ledge on the outside of a ridiculously high tower you can't help but pause and take in the view. And by "you" I mean the prince. Obviously. If I were really up there, the only thing I'd have time for is to count my fingers one by one as they lose their grip on the ever-so slightly protruding stone and wonder, on my way down, why I tried climbing the outside of a tower in the first place if I can't even manage one "non-girlie" push up. But not Prince Dastan... he's all about taking in the beauty that ridiculous height offers. He's got it all figured out. Also he may be part Jedi, I don't know.
As awesome as Jake G looks in the stills for this, I kinda wish that, you know, the Prince was going to be Persian. Call me crazy. Still, Middle Eastern fantasy is my particular candy, and the games are amazing, so I'm looking forward to this.
Now, I haven't played the games. I've only seen some stills and YouTube video from the games. But isn't th prince white in the game as well?
Perhaps the game designers all those years ago made a real Persian-looking person in the role impossible as it would go against all of those fans who love the game in the first place? I don't know, just thinking out loud here. As I said, I've never played it.