John Carpenter wants a Dead Space film

[Foggy]

Source: Den of Geek

Legendary director, John Carpenter, has expressed his enthusiasm for a Dead Space movie...

Talking to Game Informer, John Carpenter has clearly stated that he'd greatly welcome the chance to work on a movie adaptation of Electronic Arts' Dead Space, a license that isn't all that far removed from his own cult classic, The Thing.

Comparing the first game to Ridley Scott's Alien, Carpenter believes that Dead Space is prime material, and is perfect for a Hollywood outing.

When asked about the Dead Space series, Carpenter said, "The first game was more - I guess it was like Alien - but not quite. It was a little different than that.

"I maintain that Dead Space would just make a great movie because you have these people coming onto an abandoned, shut-down space ship and they have to start it up and something's on board. It's just great stuff.

"I would love to make Dead Space, I'll tell you that right now. That one is ready-made."

EA's Dead Space was initially a sci-fi Resident Evil clone, and managed to establish itself as a very respectable franchise. Later iterations, such as Dead Space 3, have dropped the horror quotient in favour of action and multiplayer, but the original game is still a survival horror classic, and if I'd have to pick any director to bring the series to the silver screen, it'd be Carpenter.

This choice is not only because of The Thing, which would obviously give him ample credence when it comes to plentiful space-gore and mutating human creatures, but also his unique style. Most of his films, such as the amazing Escape from New York (no, there never was an Escape from LA, I refuse to believe it), and Assault on Precinct 13 (no, there never was a remake, you're wrong!) all have that heightened feeling of tension, and his filming style would be perfect for replicating the bleak, dark vision of the future seen in EA's title.

Of course, whether it'll happen or not is purely speculative, and so far EA hasn't made any real moves in bringing the series to film (aside from the animated movies Downfall and Aftermath). If it did, however, with Carpenter behind it, a Dead Space movie could be that very possible Holy Grail - a game-based movie that's actually decent.

Label this under unlikely to happen...

[Visco.]

I've been wanting an adaptation for this for soooo long! Carpenter would be perfect. Even if he's only a producer.

[legendarymatt92]

It's hard to imagine Carpenter with his PS3, settling down for a night of playing on Dead Space...

Even so, his tense style with that storyline would be perfect! I'd love him to direct it, and get back his flair.

[Elandyll]

Sounds like a match made in Heaven imo.

Might have to work hard on differentiating the movie from Event Horizon (whicih could arguably be said to have had a major influence on Dead Space, alongside Alien naturally), but this is definitely something I would love to see happen.

[doctorD]

I think Carpenter would be perfect for this movie. I would attribute the mutations as being something similar to what was done in The Thing and he is great with the Sci-Fi horror thing. I hope he gets to do it.

[Ill_Be_Back]

Originally Posted by legendarymatt92

It's hard to imagine Carpenter with his PS3, settling down for a night of playing on Dead Space...

Even so, his tense style with that storyline would be perfect! I'd love him to direct it, and get back his flair.

I agree, I can't see him sitting down playing video games either but you never know! I wouldn't mind another JC directed film...

[csdot]

oh man yes please thank you

[Sherlock_Jr]

Considering that he hasn't made a watchable film in about 25 years, I'd say get someone else.

[Talyn]

Originally Posted by doctorD

I think Carpenter would be perfect for this movie. I would attribute the mutations as being something similar to what was done in The Thing and he is great with the Sci-Fi horror thing. I hope he gets to do it.

Ghosts of Mars would disagree with you....

However.... if there was a property that could pull his talent back out to the foreground. Something that catches his passion. It sounds like Dead Space could be his ticket. Even with his track record the last dozen or so years I think John Carpenter would be a good choice right next to Danny Boyle.

[Mandalorian]

Mind blown. This would be a sight to see.

[Samus Aran]

Originally Posted by legendarymatt92

It's hard to imagine Carpenter with his PS3, settling down for a night of playing on Dead Space...

At least he wasn't playing Turning Point, Haze or Mindjack.

[Shawn Elestren]

Only if:

2.35:1 anamorphic
Latex and puppetry
Blood squibs and tangible gore
Absolute minimal CGI
Vivid poster art, not a triangle of characters with the lesser ones standing at the back.

And, most important of all:

A script NOT written by Damon Lindelof.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by legendarymatt92

It's hard to imagine Carpenter with his PS3, settling down for a night of playing on Dead Space...

It's easy if it was the only game he played on it.
(If he'd had an X-Box, he could've been playing Halo, like Peter Jackson.)

Even so, his tense style with that storyline would be perfect! I'd love him to direct it, and get back his flair.

As loyal of the supporters of They Live are, I tore a piece of my clothes that the "Flair" wasn't coming back.
(Big Trouble in Little China, OTOH, I could pass off as the scriptwriter's fault, and John having a little too much fun buddying around with Kurt when he should've been making movies.)

I remember seeing Carpenter in a recent horror documentary explaining the philosophy of horror, and saying "Y'know that quote in Starman, about 'Humans are at their best when things are at their worst'? That's total crap. In any catastrophe situation, we'll end up being our own worst enemies, every time."
Okay, that does it: If the 00's Carpenter is going to diss Starman, the 70's-80's one died long before Ghosts of Mars.

[tigertron]

He could pull it off, as long as he sticks to the source material and not go off and do his own thing.

A great video game movie needs to be made by a director that is a fan and respects the franchise. With Carpenter, he may not want to keep to the game.

[Mandalorian]

Originally Posted by Shawn Watson

Only if:

2.35:1 anamorphic
Latex and puppetry
Blood squibs and tangible gore
Absolute minimal CGI
Vivid poster art, not a triangle of characters with the lesser ones standing at the back.

And, most important of all:

A script NOT written by Damon Lindelof.

Lindelof's Prometheus screenplay was so heavily edited that its unfair to blame the shortcomings in him.

[Shawn Elestren]

Originally Posted by RJ Smoove

Lindelof's Prometheus screenplay was so heavily edited that its unfair to blame the shortcomings in him.

I thought that Spaihts screenplay was heavily edited by Lindelof.

And the guy sucks, plain and simple.

[Mandalorian]

Originally Posted by Shawn Watson

I thought that Spaihts screenplay was heavily edited by Lindelof.

And the guy sucks, plain and simple.

Damn it Jim! You're right, I had them backwards.

[jamesdevil]

Stop trying to adapt video games to screen. I say that as someone who loves and plays a lot of video games.

[legendarymatt92]

Originally Posted by Sherlock_Jr

Considering that he hasn't made a watchable film in about 25 years, I'd say get someone else.

They've been watchable, just terrible at the same time. I found The Ward to actually be really enjoyable, just in a "this is absolutely dreadful" kind of way.

[legendarymatt92]

Originally Posted by Ill_Be_Back

I agree, I can't see him sitting down playing video games either but you never know! I wouldn't mind another JC directed film...

Originally Posted by Samus Aran

At least he wasn't playing Turning Point, Haze or Mindjack.

Originally Posted by EricJ

As loyal of the supporters of They Live are, I tore a piece of my clothes that the "Flair" wasn't coming back.
(Big Trouble in Little China, OTOH, I could pass off as the scriptwriter's fault, and John having a little too much fun buddying around with Kurt when he should've been making movies.)

Big Trouble in Little China is a brilliantly quirky little film; to me, it's supposed to have that "so bad it's good" feel about it -- especially in the one-liners -- and it's just entertaining as hell. But, his career has undeniably weakened in the last ten or so years...Escape from LA is the last thing he did that was excellent.