In an exclusive report by Entertainment Weekly, it was revealed that a movie adaptation of the popular video game, Stray, is currently in the works. This development follows the success of Annapurna Animation’s debut film on Netflix, “Nimona.”
Originally launched in 2022 for PC and PS5, Stray is a critically acclaimed cat adventure game developed by BlueTwelve Studio and published by Annapurna Interactive. In this game, players assume the role of a stray cat who falls into an underground cyberpunk city populated by robots, machines, and mutant bacteria. With the help of a drone companion, B-12, the cat embarks on a journey to return to the surface.
Although specific details about the film adaptation of Stray remain undisclosed, Robert Baird, the co-head of Annapurna Animation, and former Disney Animation executive Andrew Millstein shed light on their decision to bring Stray to the big screen in a recent EW interview.
“This is a game that’s all about what makes us human, and there are no humans in it. It’s a buddy comedy about a cat and a robot, and there’s such a hilarious dynamic. So, there’s comedy inherent in this, but there’s not one human being in this movie. I think it’s one of the reasons why the game was incredibly popular, that you are seeing the world through the point of view of an adorable cat. How did they pull that off, and how are we going to pull that off in the movie? We will, even though sometimes it feels impossible, but we know that’s the essence of the game and the key to telling the story.”
Robert Baird, Co-Head of Animation at Annapurna Pictures
Baird also highlighted that there is “something so emotional” the creators are trying to capture when adapting Stray to film. He further emphasized the term “hopepunk,” which developer BlueTwelve has associated with Stray, where optimism is a form of resistance. Baird expressed that if they can do justice to this adaptation, it has the potential to be the first and greatest hopepunk movie that’s ever been made.
The trend of adapting popular video games into films and series has become increasingly prevalent in the entertainment industry, with titles like “Arcane,” the animated series based on “League of Legends,” the HBO drama series adaptation of “The Last of Us,” and the highly anticipated “Five Nights at Freddy’s” movie adaptation. These adaptations allow fans to experience their favorite video game worlds in a new cinematic format.
Given the success of Stray, it is no surprise that it is considered an excellent candidate for adaptation. Fans can only hope that the film version will capture the essence of the video game and achieve similar commercial success, bringing the world of Stray to a wider audience.
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