Resident Evil filmmakers to make Monster Hunter movie

The role-playing video game Monster Hunter is a best seller for Capcom, with multiple games across the franchise including an online version in China its easy to see the games lure and appeal. In fact in China alone the game is a huge cultural phenomenon boasting close to 15 million online paying users. And with the games growing popularity in western culture its little wonder that movie studious are wanting to capitalise on this by making a movie.

Leading that charge is Resident Evil filmmakers Paul W.S. Anderson and Jeremy Bolt who have shed light on their plans to bring Monster Hunter to the big screen, something Anderson says he has wanted to do for quite some time.

Both Anderson and Bolt sat down in an interview with Deadline where they talked about their plans for the movie, the popularity of the Monster Hunter Franchise and its massive potential as a film adaptation. The pair have gone into meetings prepared, with Anderson already having written the film’s first script, and they come armed with still image and VFX visual renderings of the creatures and how they plan to adapt the film.

It’s also no surprise they have a detailed game-plan that will include a partnership again with Dennis Berardi, the co-founder and president of Toronto-based VFX house Mr. X.  Bernardi also worked alongside Anderson and Bolt on the Resident Evil series and was crucial in helping them; for a reasonable net budget as well. Somewhere in the $50-plus million range for each of the final 3D pictures which is a tidy sum in today’s market and they plan to do the same here.

While early talks and images have a lot of fans of the series undecided and worried where their beloved Monster Hunter will end up, there are others who are keen to see what will come in the following months and if the vision for the film will change at all. Personally, I’m simply hoping they decide to turn away from a current world image which the still provided displays (above image of a dragon wreaking havoc on LAX) and go with the wonderful fantasy world which already exists in Monster Hunter. Bring on the Palico’s!