Korean video game Crossfire brought to the big screen by 'Fast & Furious' makers
Crossfire, which last year was the world's highest grossing online game, will be made into a movie by Original Film, the production company behind the "Fast & Furious" franchise.
"Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" currently stands as the highest grossing video game film adaptation of all time -- but not for long, if Original Films has its way. The production company, which last year produced "Furious 7," has announced it will make a movie based on Crossfire, a South Korean first-person shooter developed by SmileGate.
Released in 2007, the online game has become a hit around the world, with over 500 million people playing. While those of us in the west may think of World of Warcraft or League of Legends when it comes to online games, it was actually Crossfire that grossed more than any other game in 2014, according to the Korea Times, generating 1.5 trillion won ($1.3 billion, AU$1.8 billion, £8.5 billion)
And it's only right that this video game juggernaut teams up with Original Films. Founded by Neal Mortiz, Original Films is the studio behind the Fast & Furious franchise, including this year's "Furious 7," which currently sits at just over $1.5 billion in the worldwide box office. Other notable films by the production company include "21 Jump Street," "I Am Legend" and "The Green Hornet."
The project represents the growing cultural significance of online multiplayers game, with billion-dollar franchises like World of Warcraft and League of Legends constantly showing the big money behind community-based online games. The film is the first Korean game to be licensed to Hollywood and, unsurprisingly, the studio says it will be internationally focused during production, as it hopes to spread awareness about Crossfire internationally.
Other successful films based on video games include "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider," which made $274 million (AU$373 million, £177 million) in 2001, and 2012's "Resident Evil: Retribution", which grossed $240 million (AU$326 million, £155 million).
"I'm very pleased that Smilegate is collaborating with Neal Mortiz for a movie," said Min Jung Paek, vice president of brand marketing at Smilegate. "Crossfire has become one of the world's most popular FPS brands and I'm looking forward to working with Original to further build out of the world of Crossfire and gain many more fans around the globe."