I don´t know if it´s because I´ve been lacking of sleep for the last couple of days, or if it´s because I´ve been reading, watching and hearing a lot of stuff about Overwatch as of lately (maybe it´s a combination of both?). Any ways, just the other night I dreamt that Blizzard had launched a full-length Overwatch movie and TV-series. So before I knew it, that was the first thing that I thought of when I woke up today. Well, that´s when I figured that I could always try to share my thoughts on a potential Overwatch movie and TV-series. So right off the bat, I should point out that it´s said that Blizzard has been planning an Overwatch movie since the early development days. In other words, it´s very likely that an Overwatch movie will happen. Nevertheless, I´m rather curious to know what direction Blizzard will take the movie? (if they don´t plan to hand over the movie production to someone else).
I mean, for starter. The “Overwatch” game has an +12 rating (or “T” for teen), so I take it that Blizzard won´t turn the movie into a +16 flick? (tons of gore, nudity and so on). Well, at least I have a feeling that Blizzard wants to make a movie which the whole family can go and watch together (Blizzard goes Pixar?). Nevertheless, it´s a big risk in making a full-length movie of “Overwatch” as well (not to mention an expensive one). Because a movie failure “might” have an impact on the reputation of the IP as a whole. Sure, it´s no secret that Blizzard are the kings of CGI cinematics. However, it´s a big difference between making short animated clips and making 1.5 or two hour-long movies. Then again, to my knowledge it´s yet unknown if Blizzard intends to make the Overwatch movie themselves, or if they aim to hire someone else to do it (like in the case with “Warcraft: The Beginning”).
Naturally, it´s also a matter of whether or not the “Overwatch” movie will become a fully animated movie (think Pixar), a real-life action movie, or a combo of the both (like “Warcraft: The Beginning“). However, on a personal level, I would like the movie to be 100% animated (I don´t think Blizzard will do that though, as it´s expensive as hell to do), and that each character has his or her original voice actor. As I can´t say that I like the thought of having the voices of Overwatch replaced by someone else. Other than that, I´m aware that some people may prefer the short animated movies which Blizzard upload via their Youtube account, then they like the thought of having an actual Overwatch movie done and made. But who can blame them really? Since every new short animated Overwatch video is really well-made and entertaining. In the matter of fact, each new video gets a couple of million views each! (the Overwatch Youtube account has over 1,2 million subscribers, so that gives every new Youtube video a lot of views).
Even so, I´m still quite sure that the fans of the short Youtube videos would go and watch a full-length Overwatch movie at the cinemas if they got a chance to do so (I know I would!). That´s also why I think that it´s going to be interesting to see what the first trailer of the movie will be like. Furthermore, will the movie focus on the now? Or will the movie take a different route and show us something else? (maybe a mix of the past, the now and the future?). Personally, I would like to see a lot of action, character stories and funny dialogs. I still think that the movie must become hugely successful in-order for a TV-series to happen though (maybe it will become the “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” of this generation?), but “if” a TV-series would happen for real.
Then I would like to see more back stories of every single hero of Overwatch (maybe the TV-series could cover the events of how the first Overwatch came to be? And how it all ended). Because in that case, then Blizzard could just continue the story timeline where it´s at right now (in other words, the TV-series will catch up with the game later on). It´s also worth mentioning for those who are not familiar with “Overwatch” and its community. The game has over 20 million players, and according to SuperData Research “Overwatch” has brought in more than $269 million in revenues from digital sales worldwide in May (which is the date that “Overwatch” launched for Windows, Xbox one and PS4).
There is also plans for a professional Overwatch esports league (which will launch next year, and yes, Blizzard will support that one). My point would be that Blizzard has a huge market for an Overwatch movie and TV-series. Hell, even people who don´t play “Overwatch” knows of the games existence (the meme pictures, the cosplays and the XXX stuff *cough cough* probably have a lot to do with the fact that “Overwatch” has become widely known outside of its own fanbase), and I bet that they are curious enough to give an Overwatch” movie and a TV-series a fair chance (I wouldn´t be surprised to hear that there are quite a lot of people who watch the animated short movies of “Overwatch”, but don´t actually play the game).
And with that said, what´s your take on this matter? What would you like to see in an Overwatch” movie and TV-series? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section down below!
Sources and resources:
Reddit
Superdata Research
Overwatch League
Robin “V-Act” Ek
The Gaming Ground
Twitter: @TheGamingGround
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Tags: Blizzard, FPS games, Gamers, Gaming, Movies, Overwatch