Since I was a child, I have loved Dance Dance Revolution. Much of many a summer holiday was spent at the arcade. Friendships were formed over the awkward attempts at that 4 panel rhythm game. It was the first game I properly practised playing, and I have come so far in my DDR skills since that time. It is truly a source of pride.
So know that all this comes from a place of love: Why the hell are they making a movie about Dance Dance Revolution?
News broke of the project, produced by Stampede ventures in collaboration with producers J. Todd Harris and Marc Marcum from Branded Entertainment as well as Konami, the owners of the DDR intellectual property.
The description of the film is quite the thing to behold:
“The project will explore a world on the brink of destruction where the only hope is to unite through the universal language of dance.”
This is not the first marriage of DDR and post-apocalypse. 2011 Film the FP shows us a terrifying universe in which gangs have taken over the city and DDR for dominance. Looks like a wonderfully dumb comedy, I can only pray that this DDR movie idea is half as self-aware.
It’s fair to say that video game to movie adaptations have a pretty sour reputation. Sometimes the filmmakers just miss the mark, pander too hard to the gaming audience, or just don’t find a way to craft an engaging narrative. Safe to say it’s easy to misfire. But then there are examples like 2012’s Battleship where things just seem… stupid. Will this Dance Dance Revolution film fit into the same stupid category? Probably.
About the Author
Sam Harkin
he/him
A Melburnian nerd of 28 years and counting. A podcaster and critic of games. Uncovering the hidden indie gems, and exposing the dark underside of the AAA industry.
