While some images showing the actors of the upcoming Prince of Persia movie had already been leaked in the past, magazine Entertainment Weekly recently published the first official on-set still showing actor Jake Gyllenhaal in his role as Prince Dastan. The image, which unfortunately is quite small, is shown below. From the picture, it can be discerned that the Prince will be wearing armour that is much like the clothing worn in the second instalment of the videogame trilogy, Warrior Within.
The movie, set for a release in late May 2010, is loosely based on the universe created in the Sands of Time trilogy. The story revolves around a street urchin named Dastan who is taken into the King’s household after proving that he is valorous in combat. From here, Dastan begins to pursue the Sands of Time, in an attempt to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. This plot does not follow the lines laid out in the Sands of Time game-trilogy.
Besides Jake Gyllenhaal (Brokeback Mountain, Jarhead) portraying Dastan, Gemma Arterton (Quatum of Solace) will portray Princess Tamina, Dastans love interest in the movie. Sir Ben Kingsley (Schindler’s List, Lucky Number Slevin) will portray the antagonist of the movie, a nobleman who wants the Sands of Time for himself. The movie is being directed by Mike Newell, who also directed the fourth movie in the Harry Potter series, The Goblet of Fire.
Why do they always have to change the story of so much from the games… Why can’t the Prince be an actual Prince, why don’t they start off the movie with a badass battle that shows the Prince claiming his first prize… the Dagger of Time, why can’t they make a good movie based off of a video game?
By NOT having the Prince be an actual Prince, you lose a vital part of his character–the Prince was an arrogant SOB in the game who showed development and growth by the end. Now we have some noble Aladdin-esque street urchin.
I’m on the fence about this one. Best video game movies are still Far Cry and Postal.
Far Cry and Postal? Yes they were very true to the games but they were still horrible.
I’d say Silent Hill shines brightly as the best video game movie ever made, not only is it relatively true to the game but it’s also good on it’s own.
Nah the movies weren’t horrible. They weren’t great but Postal succeeded in being completely irreverent and crude and Far Cry was just a bunch of action and Udo Kier as a mad German scientist. B-Film gold. They were good because Boll didn’t try to make something great. It was mindless and vapid entertainment at its best.
I tried to watch Silent Hill and I HATED IT. Terrible terrible movie. Yes it was relatively true to the game but as a movie it was a piece of trash. Almost as bad as the remake of Wicker Man.
You are a man I will never understand Eliot Hagen, a strange strange man. 😛
I think, to find the true video game adaption gems, we must look away from Hollywood and instead turn to independent cinema.
“Press Start,” was an excellent action-comedy that satirized tons of old school games, and was made on a micro-budget.
There is also an international team making a promising Metal Gear fan-film, called “Metal Gear Solid: Philanthropy”
Fan made movies of Games are generally good because the fans know the games inside and out and put passion into the movies, whereas Hollywood movies have to please a board of directors.