Sony is planning to bring even more of its hit video games to the big and small screens, riding high on the success of HBO’s The Last of Us series. And the next game that might make the leap? The adorable, family-friendly platformer Astro Bot.
In an interview with Variety, PlayStation Productions boss Asad Qizilbash confirmed they’re “absolutely” looking at the potential for Astro Bot to join the growing lineup of PlayStation adaptations. The move comes as no surprise—especially after Nintendo’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie smashed expectations and brought in a staggering $1.3 billion worldwide.
Right now, PlayStation Productions has around 10 projects in the pipeline. That includes the highly anticipated second season of The Last of Us, Amazon’s upcoming God of War series, and a film adaptation of Horizon Zero Dawn, which originally started out as a Netflix show. Helldivers 2 is also there.
So how does Sony decide which games to adapt? Qizilbash broke it down: “We look at whether we’ve already established a franchise as a great game. Is there a built-in audience? Is it winning awards?” Those are early signs that the IP could be ready to branch out.
But it’s not just about awards. “Sometimes we have IP that’s got a great story, and a creator is passionate about bringing it to life,” Qizilbash added.
Now, while Astro Bot is super charming and could be a great fit for a family-friendly film, there’s one challenge: the game is all about the gameplay, not a deep storyline. That said, with the right creative team, it could still be a hit—especially if it leans into its fun and heartwarming vibe.
Video game adaptations are having a serious moment in Hollywood. “People are starting to realize that if you do them right, they can really resonate—and scale in a big way,” Qizilbash explained. He also believes some of today’s best storytelling is happening in video games, and Hollywood is finally catching on.
There’s also a nice side effect—these adaptations tend to boost the games themselves. Todd Howard from Bethesda said Fallout 76 saw a major player surge when the TV series launched.
Many industry giants now want to jump on the trend of turning their IPs into transmedia franchises. Recently, Capcom announced a new Resident Evil movie with Sony, while Supercell and CD Projekt Red have also joined the growing lineup of studios expanding their game worlds beyond just games.
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