Let’s not beat around the bush – film adaptations of video games rarely work. Though many have tried before, we’ve unfortunately ended up with hot messes like the Super Mario Bros. film, which is most famous for being one of the worst movies ever made. So, it shouldn’t surprise anyone when gamers are pessimistic about Ratchet and Clank’s big-screen debut. Well, after checking out the Ratchet & Clank WonderCon panel, I can tell you there’s hope that this movie could be this particular dynamic duo’s best moment yet.
The lovely panel featured: Bella Thorne (Cora), James Arnold Taylor (Ratchet), Brad Foxhoven (Producer), Kevin Munroe (Director), and David Kaye (Clank). The first question that came up was, how did this project even come about? Well, apparently the team was looking to make a film based on one of Sony’s PlayStation franchises. After doing some test pieces, Ratchet & Clank made the most sense.
As the project progressed, they assembled the cast, and got some massive names to join the movie, like Paul Giamatti and Sylvester Stallone. But, most importantly, James Arnold Taylor and David Kaye were on board. Most will agree that having the original voice actors of the lombax and his trusty clunker reprise their role is a great way to ease the minds of long time fans. Bella Thorne also allowed them to market to a much larger audience thanks to her social media outreach (which was made apparent when a massive crowd surrounded her once the panel was over).
One thing is clear: everyone on the panel really loves the source material. James and David in particular have been voicing the characters for so long now, and they still seemed like a couple of kids just having fun. Kevin also emphasized how much respect he has for the universe Insomniac created which means we’ll be seeing characters and baddies pulled from the lore, instead of new creatures being added.
Four new clips were shown off, two of which you can see here. One of the yet to be released clips features Bella’s character Cora, while the other shows Ratchet trying on his snazzy new armor. The first clip had Ratchet and Cora on a secret mission. Cora is definitely more experienced in the field, and has plenty of attitude. Not much happened, but she did boss Ratchet around, so it looks like she’s a real hard-ass.
The Ratchet suit clip was a bit more revealing (not in that way, you weirdos), because we learn that our furry lombax’s suit allows him to conjure any weapon just by thinking about it. This was an attempt to mimic the ease of arsenal juggling seen in the games. It’s pretty damn cool.
From what I’ve seen so far, this movie looks like a Pixar production. The comedy is also prominent, which will please fans of the games. My only concern is the introduction of new characters like Cora, simply because we don’t really know what else she’ll bring to the table. That said, it does sound like the Insomniac team was advising the film’s progress to ensure the new guys stayed true to the universe the games have created.
Long time fans will also be happy to hear that the team is open to turning this into a film franchise, but it does depend on how well it does in theaters. So, it’s up to you guys whether we see another one of these. A television series is also something that has been discussed, however, nothing is certain at the moment.
The game has also recently gone gold, so it’s time to get excited. This is happening, folks! What you may not know is that Bella Thorne (Cora) also makes an appearance in the game, which means this isn’t a straight re-master of the original. I for one can’t wait to get my hands on the game, and watch the film to compare the experiences.
You know it's almost Launch Day when the first disc proof arrives: https://t.co/hc73S6lkRc pic.twitter.com/Gvcdynozyo
— Insomniac Games (@insomniacgames) March 25, 2016
I will leave you with this: there’s a possibility that we one day get a Jak & Daxter film, though, nothing is currently in the works. It’s about time the mascot games make a glorious comeback! Cross your fingers!
Are you excited to watch this movie? Do you like the talent tied to this project? Would you rather be playing the video game version? Let us know in the comments below! And make sure to check out the rest of our WonderCon coverage.
Image: Sony Computer Entertainment
