As in the previous year, there will of course be different ones waiting in 2023 video game adaptations upon us, in both film and series form, as live-action and animated implementations. In the following lines we will introduce you to the games adaptations that you can most likely look forward to in the course of this year.
The Legends of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel – Northern War
Launch: January 6, 2023 on Crunchyroll
The young soldier Lavian Winslet comes from North Ambria, the poorest region of Zemuria. Wanting to both protect her homeland and clear her family name, she joins the Northern Jaegers, a military unit. A short time later she is entrusted with a very risky special operation together with her comrades Iseria, Marty and Talion. This should demand everything from our heroes.
The roots of the JRPG series underlying the anime series go back to the late 1980s. Now the long-established animation studio Tatsunoko Production (“Ping Pong the Animation”) is taking on the latest project in the franchise. The Legend of Heroes: Trials of Cold War – Northern War is being directed by Hidekazu Sato (“Nobunaga the Fool”) and will ultimately consist of 12 episodes in total.
NieR: Automata Ver1.1a
Launch: January 7, 2023 at Crunchyroll
In the far future, the remnants of humanity have retreated into space after an alien invasion of Earth. But now the final counterattack is to take place and for this purpose powerful androids are to recapture the blue planet. They also include 2B and 9S, who travel the surface of the earth for the last humans. During their odyssey, they also uncover secrets that will turn everything they believed in upside down.
The hit action RPG from Square Enix and PlatinumGames (“Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance”) quickly won the hearts of numerous gamers. In the anime series, however, the well-known story of the template is not implemented 1:1. Instead, creator Yoko Taro insisted that studio A-1 Pictures (“Lycoris Recoil”) and director Ryouji Masuyama (“Great Pretender”) tell a standalone story with “NieR: Automata Ver1.1a.” The video game adaptation is currently on an indefinite break, but the first three episodes definitely make you want more.
The Last of Us
Start: January 16, 2023 at Sky Germany & WOW
Since a devastating pandemic caused by a fungal infection 20 years ago, the last remnants of humanity have been holed up in Quarantine Zones (QZ). Among them is smuggler Joel, who, along with his girlfriend Tess, is tasked with getting a young girl named Ellie out of QZ Boston. It is the beginning of a tremendous journey that should demand everything from the trio.
A film adaptation of the PlayStation 3 hit “The Last of Us” has been in the works for years and after a cinema film had already failed, a series adaptation was given the green light. Craig Mazin (“Chernobyl”) and Neil Druckmann, the author of the games template, teamed up to implement the first game in the series in a total of eight episodes for the US broadcaster HBO. You can read our first impression of the series here.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Release: March 30, 2023 in cinemas
The cunning thief Edgin gathers a group of adventurers so that together they can acquire a powerful artifact. This threatens to fall into the wrong hands, which could have fatal consequences for the entire world. The unequal troop not only has to undertake a dangerous journey, but also correct a fatal mistake from their own past, because it is their responsibility that the end of the world is imminent.
In the past, Uwe Boll, among others, tried to film the cult game, but the two directors John Francis Daley (“Game Night”) and Johnathan Goldstein (“Kill the Boss”) do not want to repeat old mistakes. The trailers released so far point to an entertaining fantasy adventure that could score with snappy sayings and a good cast around Chris Pine (“Star Trek”).
There Super Mario Bros. Movie
Release: April 6, 2023 in cinemas
Probably the most famous plumber in the world is also getting a new movie this year: In “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”, Mario and his brother Luigi end up in an unknown place where all sorts of strange creatures live. After some time they reach the Mushroom Kingdom ruled by Princess Peach. However, the peace is not to last for long, as villain Bowser seizes power in this country.
After the first film adaptation of Nintendo’s legendary video game brand is still one of the worst games film adaptations of all time, the traditional Japanese company could successfully turn things around this time. In cooperation with Illumination Entertainment (“despicable me”), this time an animated film is being produced, which will be directed by Aaron Horvath (“Teen Titans Go!”) and Michael Jelenic (“The Batman”).
Grand Touring
Release: August 10, 2023 in cinemas
With “Gran Turismo” another PlayStation title dares to make the leap to the big screen. The film of the same name is about a racing game player whose path from amateur to professional is shown. After winning a few competitions, he’s well on his way to becoming a professional racer. The film’s story is loosely based on the life story of British racing driver Jann Mardenborough.
Sony Pictures and PlayStation Productions are working together on the first film adaptation of the acclaimed games series, for which the first plans were made more than ten years ago. Neill Blomkamp (“District 9”) is directing. Starring David Harbor (“Stranger Things”) and Orlando Bloom (“Pirates of the Caribbean” series), among others.
Alice Gear Aegis Expansion
Start: April 2023 at ?
“Alice Gear Aegis Expansion” is the film adaptation of a mobile game that also received a console port last year, which is also scheduled for release in the West in 2023. The game is about a group of young women who have to fight back an alien invasion in huge fighting machines.
The anime series is expected to start on Japanese TV in April 2023, although it is not yet known if there will be a simulcast outside of the island nation. The project, which is being developed at animation studio Nomad (“Dropkick on My Devil!”), is directed by Hirokazu Hanai (“Mirai Nikki”). You can watch the first five minutes of the anime here already watch.
ARK: The Animated Series
Start: 2023 at ?
A few years ago, ARK: The Animated Series, an animated series based on the popular survival game of the same name, was announced. In the film adaptation, the protagonist Helena Walker and another survivor end up on a mysterious island populated by dinosaurs. But not only that, because there are also strange tribes and mysterious technologies. Will they be able to return to their world?
The animated series, which is currently undisclosed to which provider it will be shown on, is a co-production between Lex and Otis Animation Studio (“Trese”) and Studio Wildcard (“ARK: Survival Evolved”) and directed by Jay Oliva (“Batman: The Dark Knight Returns”). In the English original, the show will boast a top-class voice cast, which includes the likes of Gerard Butler, Russell Crowe, Vin Diesel and Karl Urban.
Collar × Malice
Start: 2023 (Japan)
Fear sweeps through Shinjuku as a mysterious organization spreads terror throughout the city. A young police officer is supposed to get to the bottom of the matter, but in the end he falls into a trap: a poisonous collar is put around his neck and time is running out on him. Shortly thereafter, he meets five strangers who could help him to finally get to the bottom of the mysterious events and the truth behind them.
The visual novel Collar × Malice was originally released in 2016 exclusively for the PlayStation Vita and was later released for the Nintendo Switch as well. In the course of the year, an anime feature film based on the game will be released in Japan, which will be produced by Studio DEEN (“Ranma ½”). Voice actors in the Japanese original include Masakazu Morita (Whis in Dragon Ball Super) and Yūki Kaji (Eren Jäger in Attack on Titan).
Knuckles the Echidna
Start: 2023 bei Paramount+
Knuckles made his live-action debut in the hit feature film Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and was pretty well received by fans. Now the film universe, which is based on the popular SEGA games, is to be expanded and a “Knuckles the Echidna” series is to make the start. What the story is about is currently unclear.
It is also currently unknown when the series will start. It is already certain that the show will be launched exclusively on the still relatively young streaming service Paramount+ (“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds”) and that Knuckles will speak again in the English-language original Idris Elba (“Luther”).
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