While game-to-movie adaptations are pretty routine these days, Ubisoft is upping the ante with regards to their game port of Avatar. That much was revealed by film director James Cameron during Microsoft's Advance 08 advertising conference. More details on this matter are available in the full article.

In an official announcement heralded via press wire, Ubisoft proudly touted their agreement with Twentieth Century Fox on developing a video game adaptation of James Cameron's "Avatar," a feature film that would realign the filmmaker firmly within the Hollywood blockbuster types.

 

Cameron, known for his renderings of "Titanic," "True Lies," "The Abyss," "Aliens," "The Terminator," and "Terminator 2: Judgement Day," is now recreating a new, surreal world on the Earth-like paradise of Alpha Centauri. The stories plot places an ex-Marine between physical conflicts occurring among life forms, called the Na'Vi, and emotional conflicts stirring within himself, as he struggles to conform his human mind inside an alien body.

And with special effects veterans WETA Digital ("The Lord of the Rings," "King Kong") contracted by Cameron to create a captivating alien world complete with photo-realistic sceneries, life and cultural detail into the highly-anticipated motion picture, he is giving Ubisoft complete freedom to develop the game independent of the movie experience. Cameron himself stated:

I told the Ubisoft team I wanted them to be free to do their very best work, and not think of this as a movie-based game. They responded with a fully realized presentation which captured the soul of the world and the characters, while promising to be a knockout game on its own terms. Their passion inspired my confidence that they are going to do something transcendental.

With more than six months to go, Ubisoft plans to release the game simultaneously with the motion picture's premier on May 2009. But on which platform the game will be released has not been stated officially, beckoning us to reconsider a multi-platform release as with all other movie-based game releases. More on the genre and other details of the game as they roll in.

Jensen Ackles, co-star in the TV series Supernatural is in line for the lead role of Leon Kennedy in this to be the fourth Resident Evil film to hit Hollywood, although there are other actors being considered. Although the third film in the Resident Evil film series 'Extinction' is still in production, the fourth title currently known as 'afterlife' is being prepared, with filming expected to start early next year. The survival horror movie series which was born from the long-running videogame franchise has sprouted from its videogame roots, and although following the basic storyline of the game series, the Resident Evil which has been adapted for movie purposes is beginning to develop its own personality.

If you know your Sci-Fi, you'll probably be thinking that Ackles is perfect for the part, with previous roles such as playing Alec in the second season of James Cameron’s "Dark Angel," Jason Teague in the fourth season of "Smallville," and has lots of experience derived from his role in "Supernatural", which has quite a large horror aspect to it.

Critics are getting ready for Ackles' role in the fourth Resident Evil film to hit the big screen, liking his mannerisms to the game character of Leon Kennedy from the game. With mixed reviews, due to the original Resident Evil film, lets hope the films get progressively better, along with the games. Resident Evil titles are currently in development for the PS3 and the Wii - we wonder if it'll have any ties with the film?