With the video game adaptation “Twisted Metal“, the team behind “Deadpool”, along with Anthony Mackie, aims to make a splash as shown in the teaser trailer.
Who can forget the numerous flops of video game adaptations in past decades? From “Super Mario Bros.”, which only shared the characters’ names with the original game, to the shameful era of Uwe Boll, and the uninspired adaptations of relatively insubstantial video games (“Doom”, “DOA: Dead or Alive”) – everything that should be avoided in the film industry was attempted.
However, things have changed, especially with the respectful treatment of source material. The current generation of filmmakers grew up with video games and are often big gaming fans themselves, which is reflected in recent works like “Mortal Kombat”, “Pokémon Detective Pikachu”, the “Sonic the Hedgehog” films, and the 2018 action-adventure “Tomb Raider”.
This new understanding has paid off at the box office, as evidenced by the Super Mario Bros. movie, which Nintendo and creator Shigeru Miyamoto are a part of, grossing over US$900 million worldwide. The animated film is expected to surpass the US$1 billion mark. Furthermore, “The Last of Us” has inspired not only the gaming community but also those unfamiliar with the video game source material.
Therefore, the time is ripe for adaptations of lesser-known titles or second-tier video games. One such game is the “Twisted Metal” series, consisting of eight games released for various PlayStation systems from 1995 to 2012. Sony Pictures TV and PlayStation Productions have produced a post-apocalyptic action comedy series for the Peacock streaming service, and a first teaser trailer has just been released.
There isn’t really much to see in the teaser trailer, but nobody expects that from a teaser like this. On the other hand, what immediately jumps out is the general laid-back, happy vibe, made real with only nineties music (“Steal my Sunshine” by Len) from the CD player. Even if the action takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, there doesn’t always have to be a gloomy atmosphere. Hope and good humor should sweeten the action-packed spectacle. Clearly, “Twisted Metal” doesn’t want to be more than entertaining, at least that’s what the teaser suggests.
“Twisted Metal”: Marvel star Anthony Mackie has to deliver a package.
However, it is a little surprising that those responsible have decided to film the “Twisted Metal” series, which has not been continued for more than 10 years. Because the template is basically just pure multiplayer material battles with vehicles that have more weapon systems than some states. Although there was a thin background story, it only revolved around the deadly and eponymous tournament organized by Calypso.
The video game series, which had its best days in the late 1990s, scored with totally crazy characters such as Needles Kane, aka Sweet Tooth, a crazy serial killer with a clown mask and an ice cream truck as a vehicle, and Dollface, a narcissistic model with a disfigured face adorned with a doll mask that can no longer be removed.
From this basic idea, showrunner Michael Jonathan Smith, based on an idea by “Deadpool” authors Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, has created a crazy post-apocalyptic adrenaline rush in which Marvel star Anthony Mackie (“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”) embodies the outsider Michael Jonathan Smith, who is offered the chance for a better life. However, he must transport a mysterious package across a ruined wasteland to its destination. So that he doesn’t have to experience any nasty surprises on the way, he not only has an accompaniment with car thief Quiet (Stephanie Beatriz), but also a number of hot weapons mounted directly on his vehicle, which can fire ammunition at any time. And they will, because the road is paved with marauding gangs and a serial killer named Sweet Tooth (with Will Arnett as the voice artist and Samoa Joe as the actor).
In addition to Anthony Mackie, Thomas Haden Church, Will Arnett, Neve Campbell, Tahj Vaughans, Stephanie Beatriz, Chelle Ramos, Jamie Neumann, Angel Giuffra, and Han Soto also star in “Twisted Metal”.
“Twisted Metal” will be available via Peacock on July 27, 2023. In this country, you can get the streaming service in combination packages from Sky.
