Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Press Release: BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT® AND LEGENDARY PICTURES TO PRODUCE LIVE-ACTION WARCRAFT® MOVIE

I have always been a fan of Blizzard* games and so this news is really a drool factor for me. I have started enjoying their games, starting from the epic original Warcraft, and first ever Diablo. My fanboyism with Blizzard solidified when they released Starcraft, and then Broodwar. Though I stopped buying their game when they released their very first MMORPG (due to monthly cost), I still love the series.



I have played all Blizzard titles on the PC except the MMORPG, but I did tried it before and then gave up after awaking to the fact that I can not sustain my "hobby". Reality sets in, and then I am, for the first time, away from Battle.Net forum and away from Blizzard site in general. I can not imagine how long I have been absent from the site and their titles except my occasional DOTA game, so I am almost completely out of any real "affection" to Blizzard.

But this time around, I guess I can manage to spend a "movie fee" and return to where I love most: Blizzard Epic creations. However I missed Kerrigan and whatever happened (or will happen) to her, I'd make do with the movie. Anyway, enough with the blabber, and here's the scoop on the news:

BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT® AND LEGENDARY PICTURES
TO PRODUCE LIVE-ACTION WARCRAFT® MOVIE


Fantasy game franchise played by millions worldwide to become major motion picture

IRVINE, Calif. -- May 9, 2006 -- Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. and Legendary Pictures today announced that they have entered into an agreement to develop a live-action film based on Blizzard Entertainment®'s award-winning Warcraft® universe. Based on the terms of the agreement, Legendary Pictures has acquired the movie rights for the best-selling game universe, and both companies are now focused on translating the high-quality Warcraft entertainment experience to the big screen.

"We searched for a very long time to find the right studio for developing a movie based on one of our game universes," said Paul Sams, chief operating officer of Blizzard Entertainment. "Many companies approached us in the past, but it wasn't until we met with Legendary Pictures that we felt we'd found the perfect partner. They clearly share our high standards for creative development, and because they understand the vision that we've always strived for with our Warcraft games, we feel there isn't a better studio out there for bringing the Warcraft story to film."

"One of our goals at Legendary Pictures has been to bring heroic stories to life in groundbreaking ways, and it's inspiring to work with a company such as Blizzard that takes that approach with each of its products," stated Legendary Pictures chairman and CEO Thomas Tull. "The Warcraft universe is possessed of such a rich mythology and, as such, serves as an ideal platform as we go about translating that universe into what we intend to be a major event film."

Blizzard's Warcraft games have developed a loyal following since the series debuted in 1994. Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness™, released in 1995, won multiple Game of the Year awards and is still considered one of the best games ever made, and Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos™ broke multiple sales records when it launched in 2002. World of Warcraft®, Blizzard's latest entry in the critically acclaimed franchise, has quickly become one of the world's most popular online games, with more than 6 million paying customers worldwide.

"From our first Warcraft game to our latest novels, our intention has always been to develop a rich fantasy universe that could support stories and products in many forms," stated Chris Metzen, Blizzard Entertainment's vice president of creative development. "In addition to being a truly rewarding experience for us, the creation of this motion picture also feels like a natural next step for the Warcraft universe."

"It's not always the case that interactive game properties lend themselves to proper adaptation to film," said Jon Jashni, Legendary Pictures' chief creative officer. "We are intending to approach this as we would the adaptation of a best-selling novel: respect the essence of all that it is but also build upon that fertile base while translating it into a new medium."

Further details about the upcoming Warcraft movie, including director, cast, and targeted release date, will be revealed in the months ahead.


Source:Blizzard

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