All Articles: Dead Rising: Watchtower

Capcom and Crackle have released the first trailer for Dead Rising: Watchtower, the first English-language film adaptation of the popular game series. Watchtower will star Rob Riggle as a more comedic version of journalist Frank West. He’ll be joined by Virginia Madsen as “Women Driving Away From Zombies,” Jesse Metcalfe as “Reporter Who Isn’t Frank West,” and Dennis Haysbert as “Army General Who Tells People Not to Panic.” I’m sure they’ll have actual names in the film, but that’s the best I can do from a few seconds of screen time in the trailer. More screen time was devoted to the makeshift weapons that the game series is known for, proving that the filmmakers have at least some idea what the fans want.

Dead Rising: Watchtower will be available to watch exclusively through the Crackle streaming service on March 27.

Canadian director Zach Lipovsky, best known for the Made-For-TV movie Tasmanian Devils and the upcoming reboot of the Leprechaun franchise, Leprechaun: Origins, has signed on to helm the film adaptation of Capcom’s Dead Rising. He will be working a the script penned by screenwriter Tim Carter, who served as a Producer on the well-received web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy.

The 90-minute digital film is being produced by Legendary Pictures’ new subsidy Legendary Digital Media, and will be distributed via Sony’s Crackle streaming service in North America, while Content Media Corp has snagged the international distribution rights.

[Source: The Wrap]

Legendary Pictures, the film company behind Man of Steel, Godzilla, and the long-gestating adaptation of BioWare’s Mass Effect, has picked up the rights to develop a film based on Capcom’s zombie smasher Dead Rising. However, rather than aiming for the silver screen, the project is the first to emerge from Legendary’s Digital Media division. The company is working with producers Tomas Harlan and Tim Carter of Contradiction Films, who were previously responsible Mortal Kombat: Legacy. Carter will also write the screenplay, although there is no word on a director just yet.

The film will initially be distributed via Sony’s Crackle streaming service in North America, while Content Media Corp. has snagged the international distribution rights. Content Media also released Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn and is distributing the much-anticipated Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist oh home video formats. Tom Lesinski, President of Content and Distribution at Legendary Digital Media, spoke highly of both companies, as well as the source material:

Dead Rising has a built-in fan base and rich characters and plotlines that are ideal for digital storytelling and on target for Legendary’s brand. Crackle and Content are adept at distributing cutting-edge digital content and we look forward to delivering a highly engaging and cool series for a global audience.

After its run on Crackle, the Dead Rising film will be released on DVD and become available to download through On Demand services.

[Source: Variety]