Posted December 05, 2012
I don't know whether this has already come up on the forums here but checking on the Wikipedia article of one of my favourite directors (Paul Verhoeven, as the thread title suggests) I discovered this:
"In April 2010, Verhoeven hinted that his next potential film project was an adaptation of a "Hitchcockian" computer game set in 1914. Although he would not reveal the title, there was speculation that the project might be an adaptation of The Last Express, a 1997 game designed by Prince of Persia creator Jordan Mechner. In October 2011, Verhoeven confirmed The Last Express as the identity of the game in question, and revealed that he is even considering filming it in 3D. Mechner has gone on record as saying he is a fan of Verhoeven's Jesus of Nazareth (JON)."
I have to say, I'm pretty thrilled by this. Verhoeven is one of those directors who just do their thing and don't seem to care much about the mainstream - and the game also isn't a typical choice for an adaptation, being an old title that barely anyone remembers (even the "celebrity bonus" isn't that big in case of a Mechner game who is basically only known as "that Prince of Persia guy"). For me this kind of choice of source material seems to be a first-timer. Additionally you wouldn't expect a 70-year old film maker to give a rat's ass about video games, would you?
"In April 2010, Verhoeven hinted that his next potential film project was an adaptation of a "Hitchcockian" computer game set in 1914. Although he would not reveal the title, there was speculation that the project might be an adaptation of The Last Express, a 1997 game designed by Prince of Persia creator Jordan Mechner. In October 2011, Verhoeven confirmed The Last Express as the identity of the game in question, and revealed that he is even considering filming it in 3D. Mechner has gone on record as saying he is a fan of Verhoeven's Jesus of Nazareth (JON)."
I have to say, I'm pretty thrilled by this. Verhoeven is one of those directors who just do their thing and don't seem to care much about the mainstream - and the game also isn't a typical choice for an adaptation, being an old title that barely anyone remembers (even the "celebrity bonus" isn't that big in case of a Mechner game who is basically only known as "that Prince of Persia guy"). For me this kind of choice of source material seems to be a first-timer. Additionally you wouldn't expect a 70-year old film maker to give a rat's ass about video games, would you?