UPDATE #1 : I just received an email from Kotaku editor, Brian Ashcraft, who originally spoke with Konami’s Aki Saito in person and here’s what he said: “Hey Hunter, [Saito] said Paul Thomas Anderson, not just Paul Anderson, but specifically ‘Thomas.’ Hope that helps!” I just asked Brian again if Saito possibly meant to say director Paul W.S. Anderson (Resident Evil), and he added, “Saito’s handling the movie negotiations, so I’d assume he knew.” The awesome madness continues! More as it develops…
UPDATE #2: Collider talked to someone involved with the production who has confirmed that Paul Thomas Anderson is NOT involved. My guess is that Saito meant to say Paul W.S. Anderson, who has a history of video game movie adaptations. The original news story follows:
Get out of here, Konami! At a press conference for this summer’s Metal Gear Solid 4, Konami’s Aki Saito, who’s apparently hands-on with the Metal Gear feature film adaptation, told a Kotaku reporter that 1.) the franchise’s feted creator, Hideo Kojima, will not be directing the movie version and 2.) director Paul Thomas Anderson is a possibility…
Regarding to potential directors, Saito says, “Paul Thomas Anderson is interested.”
What would The New Yorker say if this became a reality? Saito also communicated how carefully Konami, the vid game’s publisher, is handling the adaptation, much to fans’ satisfaction, and expressed a certain weariness over Hollywood’s video game flick graveyard…
“Often Hollywood adaptations have the original game creator involved at the beginning, but somewhere along the line they fall out of view. This is why it’s very important for us to carefully pick the studio for this project.”
PTA handling a grandiose spy action film would be bananas and make for a highly unforeseen and no doubt controversial follow-up to his masterpiece, There Will Be Blood. Venturing into pipe dream land, I’m not sure if I’d rather see Tarantino’s Grand Theft Auto (the Internet fantasy fave for Rockstar’s franchise at the moment) or this. Not sure why Saito would just throw PTA’s name out there if there wasn’t some truth to it.
Brief MGS synopsis: Metal Gear Solid follows Solid Snake, a retired soldier who infiltrates a nuclear weapons disposal facility to neutralize the terrorist threat from FOXHOUND, a renegade special forces unit.
Discuss: !?! QT’s GTA or PTA’s MGS, which would be more badass?
May 13th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
PTA is a God. This would just elevate this movie to a whole new level.
May 13th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
OMg. please make it happen, PTA!
May 13th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
NO NO NO NO.
I want this to fail because i hate playstation.
May 13th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
I agree that PTA IS god….and I LOVE the whole MGS series to death. That being said, I don’t think this makes any sense whatsoever. If this is true….then…shoot, I don’t know what i’d think.
May 13th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
If he directs it will be a world first… a good videogame film.
May 13th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
ITS HIDEO KOJIMA, not KOJIMI !
Get your source right next time.
May 13th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Tarantino’s GTA or Anderson’s MGS would be insane. I don’t believe I could choose between the two.
May 13th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
unlikely
May 13th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
well if it is indeed false, which I am leaning towards, this may bring to light his possible actual next project
May 13th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
I’m loving the idea… Please PTA make it happen… but then again sounds too good to be truth.
May 13th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
If this is the truth, then I can say there’s hope in an excellent video game adaptation.
The film studios have no clue how to make them. I remain still sticking to the idea that adapting a well-rounded video game story is like adapting a book… if you faithfully adapt the game, this means following the storyline beginning to end, I think gamers will love you for it. You know what happens next in an adaptation…so what? I don’t think it hurt 300 fans or Lord of the Rings.
If you see a faithful video game adaptation, yes, every gamer knows what happens next yet I think audiences would be excited to see the same story unfold on the big screen in a overly epic and cinematic way.
May 13th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
So its going to be a film about a guy with a mullet who wears a bandana in a swimsuit who hides in boxes?
The japanese love mullets, white people, and cardboard boxes.
May 13th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
I went temporarily insane reading that because I was totally tripping balls. Tripping balls so hard.
May 13th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
NO WAY! Awesome!
But I still don’t think it could beat Bowl’s GTA.
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.
.
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I’m just effin with you. I can’t decide between the two. They are both equally awesome
May 13th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
no no no no no no no no no no no
I LOVE PTA. This would be a joke. He needs to keep making movies based off of scripts that are actually worth something. Worth a lot, actually. I hope it’s WS
May 13th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
No ones said it yet so I’ll throw it out: How amazing would it be if Daniel Day-Lewis came in to play Snake…
If he was ever going to go blockbuster I’d like to see the PTA do this. The movie would be hands down better than the game deserves but… I’m sure PTA isnt going to do this movie.
May 13th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
Regardless if this is true or not, theres one good piece of news eclipsed by the possible PTA involvement.
Konami is actually acknowledging the fact that all video game adaptations suck, and they are intent on making MGS something faithful to the vision. Good job!
Now if other companies would follow suit….
May 13th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
I just had a violent geek-spasm to this news.
Bollocks to the argument, ‘games are stupid!’; but do we really want MGS made into a movie?
The MGS games contain some of the greatest cinematic moments of gaming history. Other than bringing the brilliant characters to a slightly wider audience, what does it add?
May 13th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
OMG! I seriously doubt it, but this would be epic. I’m a massive MGS fan, but have been dreading this film. Maybe just maybe it’ll turn out like I hope.
Oh, and Hunter, please, please fix that typo Kijimi. It’s Hideo Kojima. It really bothers me.
May 13th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Sounds like a great idea…I just hope if it becomes a reality, that he makes sure the script is damn good, and not lame like every other video game adaptation.
May 13th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
PTA directing would be epic, but this sort of project doesn’t seem like his kind of gig.
May 13th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
I think whats his face that says i drink your milk shake would make a great revolver. Here is the trailer for MGS4 they made it like a movie trailer.
May 13th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
QT’s GTA would be ridiculous and stupid. the main character will be in the middle of a mission when he starts haggling with a random hooker about the price she charges for a foot massage. meanwhile, his best friend has his ear cut off just before he makes the bad guy’s heart explode by poking his man boobs.
Tarantino’s GTA would just be another Death Proof, only this time it would have a plot.
anyway.. yeah MGS!
May 13th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
@ - Orange Clockwork
Maybe he is just wanting do something like Marc Forster, Quantum of Solace.
May 13th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Metal Gear by far. Not only does GTA suck, it’s already been made into a movie. It’s called “Anything Jason Statham Has Ever Been In”. Also Niko or Igor or whatever could never make it into a Super Smash Bros game.
May 13th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
PTA doing MGS?!?!?! That’s as bizarre a suggestion as I’ve ever heard on these internets. I can’t picture a frame in my mind of a MGS movie directed by PTA, this has to be as false as it is bizarre. Even Orson Welles’s adaptation of Batman is far more plausible.
May 13th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
If it ends up being Paul W.S. Anderson, I’ll be crushed.
May 13th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
If PTA directs MGS, that would easily be my favorite movie of the year it comes out.
May 13th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
I’d rather see Paul Thomas Anderson handle a GTA movie, he’d be able to capture the depth and darkness that is in GTA IV - Tarantino would make it a rather hollow affair, like GTA III.
May 13th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Wow…That is a fine idea. Sure, as a follow up to TWBB is a little odd…But, the material is good, and if they get a good script to work with…Man. The potential here is outstanding.
Also, diggin the Love between my two favorite blogs, Kotaku and /Film. Maybe with a good MGS movie the bridge between the two worlds of games and Film can come together without a sad and bashful look on their faces.
May 13th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
This could quite possibly be the best blockbuster movie ever made if the deal can be done. MGS has infinite opportunities to be a kick-ass visual feast and be a film with a message to say.
I’m so psyched if this can happen, if would become my most anticipated film.
May 13th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
As long as Hideo Kojima is on board.
May 13th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
I’m betting this is a huge misunderstanding. It makes no sense whatsoever for PTA to do this film.
May 13th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
I hate video game films but love PTA count me in. Is QT really considering GTA?
May 13th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
Philip Seymour Hoffman should totally play Solid Snake.
May 13th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
@ Sue
No, Tarantino is not even remotely attached to direct a GTA film, it’s just a fun pipe dream hypothetical that’s currently bouncing around the web.
@ The Dude
While I remain pretty skeptical that it’s Paul W.S. Anderson and not PTA, I wouldn’t say it “makes no sense” if PTA is truly interested. Even Robert Altman took a shot at Popeye if you remember, and one of Kubrick’s fave movies was White Men Can’t Jump. The MGS material has feature potential unlike most video games, and I’ve never considered PTA a snob. An action movie is not below him. He’s a movie buff like QT, not necessarily an elitist. That said, a million amazed expletives if it’s true.
May 13th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
This could potentially provide renewed confidence in video game adaptations.
That being said, I can’t imagine what a PTA MGS would be like… probably kick ass… but I can’t even begin to picture it.
May 13th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
im gonna be mad when i hear there isnt any truth to this anymore…
May 13th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Tarantino is a slick asshole…that is all
May 13th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Well, PTA has said he’s wanted to do a genre flick at one point. There was speculation early this year he was going to helm a horror film.
May 13th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
IF it were to happen, it would set an unmatchable standard for video game films. the same thing nolan is about to do to comic book films with TDK.
May 13th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
And Johnny Greenwood better do a kickass guitar soundtrack
May 13th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
PTA + MGS = one hell of a movie (i hope)
May 13th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
what villains would be in the movie though?
Ocelot, Liquid Snake i assume.
psycho mantis and sniper wolf would be sweet and vamp.
May 13th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
No way in hell this is happening. Unless Snake develops a coke habit and a bad relationship with his father. Come on guys, does anyone seriously believe this?
May 13th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
Cant……..type/………having…….multiple…….orasgmsSOoooooooooooooaHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh
May 13th, 2008 at 11:47 pm
You cant have a film with too many villains. Maybe some could make small appearences but essentially in a 2 hour film there is only room for the head honcho and his main hench man. Probably liquid and revolver
May 14th, 2008 at 12:37 am
SNNNNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKKKKKKEEEEEEEEEEE.
I’m hoping PTA can be trusted to cut out lines such as “Can love bloom on the battlefield?”
May 14th, 2008 at 1:21 am
what would be the basis for anyone being excited about such news? He’s a brilliant writer and director, but just because he can film a scene of Rollergirl kicking the crap out of some dude, doesn’t mean he’s ready fit to direct anything with suspense and action. Have you guys forgot what a director actually does besides put his name in front of the title?
Love PTA’s work. He’d be a fool to do this. My guess is the story is a misunderstanding.
May 14th, 2008 at 7:24 am
Yeah, he’s all of a sudden gonna direct a dumb-ass video game movie. Your source is a moron.
May 14th, 2008 at 7:30 am
UPDATE #2 just smashed all hopes and dreams for the PTA pipe dream.
May 14th, 2008 at 9:16 am
I knew it was too good to be true.:(
Oh man, if it’s Paul W.S. Anderson, as much as it pains me to say it, I might have to skip the MGS movie. I can’t stand that guy.
May 14th, 2008 at 10:07 am
If it’s P W.S. Anderson, it’s so gonna take place on a spaceship in the future…
May 14th, 2008 at 10:32 am
FUCK
May 14th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
It’ll happen, why won’t he accept to direct the world’s most popular game that’s filled with intelligence, action, drama, and comedy? Still wish Hideo Kojima could’ve been something like assistant director, but I guess he’ll stick with games.
May 14th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Well, that was fun. A middle name has never made a bigger difference. Thanks to everyone who rode the crack-addled rumor wave. Don’t know about you, but simply contemplating a PTA MGS made me consider his direction/skillset in a bold new way.
June 30th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
If Hideo Kojima is not the writer and director, there is no need to even try. I can not believe how he has been able to get me to go and buy every Metal Gear game there is. It is because of the great story within his games