TheHelldivers 2game developer addresses their level of involvement in the movie. Developed by Arrowhead Game Studios and published by Sony, the firstHelldiversgamewas released in 2015. It is a top-down shooter game that sees players protect Super Earth by defeating enemies. A long-awaited sequel game that switches format to a third-person shooter,Helldivers 2,was releasedearly last year, and just a few days ago, amovie adaptation was announced. There is limited information available so far as to who will direct or star in theHelldiversmovie, as the project has just begun.
Speaking on social media, Arrowhead CCO andHelldivers 2developerJohan Pilestedtdiscussed the studio’s involvement in theHelldiversmovie.
According to the video game director, he has been getting this question but has avoided answering it ever since the movie was announced. In terms of his level of involvement, he says that “the short answer is yes.” The longer answer is more complicated, as Pilestedt mentions that he and his team “don’t know what it takes to make a movie” and thus will not have “final say.”
What This Means For The Helldivers Movie
Video Games & Films Are Unique Mediums
Pilestedt’s response is incredibly respectful to the differences between the mediums of film and video games. A video game world is highly interactive, with a drawn out story that can typically last longer than that of a feature film. As such, the process of developing a video game and writing and directing a movie are entirely different processes. Pilestedt states the results of these differences clearly by saying “therefore we don’t, and shouldn’t, have final say.”
Pilestedt also confirms that he will be involved in the project, though the rest of his statement suggests that the extent of his involvement in theHelldiversmovieis yet to be determined. This might be concerning to some video game fans who are loyal to theHelldiversseriesand hope the film adaptation will maintain the integrity of the original story.Helldivers 2was well-received upon its release, nominated for multiple Game Awards, including Best Action Game and Best Ongoing Game. This reception only puts the pressure on for theHelldiversmovie to be a quality adaptation.
Our Take On Pilestedt’s Helldivers Involvement
Collaboration Is The Best Solution
Video game adaptationsare on the rise right now, so there is a chance thatHelldiverscould be very popular if done right, but its success may hinge on the video game team’s involvement. HBO’sThe Last of Usis a great testament to why this works, as the show was made in collaboration with TV creator Craig Mazin and Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann, who co-created the original game. Ideally, theHelldiversmovie should followThe Last of Us' example and create a more fully collaborative piece, even if the film people get the final say.
Source:Johan Pilestedt
Helldivers 2
Helldivers II is the follow-up to the 2015 multiplayer top-down single-player/co-op shooter from Arrowhead Game Studios. The sequel, which has shifted gears to a third-person shooter format, drops players into the boots of elite super-soldiers who fight to protect Super Earth from invading alien forces while taking the fight to those who threaten the “democracy of Super Earth.”
