Loki’s Kate Herron is directing, co-writing, and executive producing a movie based on EA’s emergent storytelling game The Sims.
Who’s ready to bring a scarecrow to life, join a cult, and have Father Winter’s baby? EA’s The Sims is coming to Amazon MGM courtesy of Loki’s helmer Kate Herron. Herron’s effort to bring the quirky and comical world of simulated scandals, shenanigans, and serendipity to life on screens is a curious endeavor, given the random nature of the Sims gameplay and emergent storytelling mechanics. How do you recreate this type of chaos on screens? Inquiring minds and rabid fans want to know!
The Sims is an immensely popular game from Maxis, the company that first let gamers play God with the legendary simulator SimCity. While the brand followed up with other similar-natured games like SimFarm, Sim Hospital, and SimAnt, it was in 2000 that they gave players the chance to live life in The Sims. Herron is directing, co-writing, and executive producing the film with Briony Redman. Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap also produces with Tom Ackerly, Josey McNamara, and Sophia Kerr as producers. They’re collaborating with Roy Lee and Miri Yoon of Vertigo Entertainment. The publisher of the computer game, Electronic Arts, will also be included in the creative and producing aspects. Robbie has not been confirmed to star in The Sims movie for now.
The Sims is similar to the Barbie brand in that no formal narrative can be source material for a specific feature film plot or themes. The “story” of The Sims is essentially decided by the player, who controls any and all aspects of the world with the click of a button. Do you remember MTV’s The Real World? The Sims is similar, meaning individuals with different personalities occupy a confined space. Their schedules, routines, and habits often intersect to produce wacky results. Many players enjoy recreating their friends and family in the game, creating outrageous situations to overcome and relationship snafus to conquer. Some players keep their Sims alive for years, creating an ongoing narrative of soap opera-like proportions. Just be careful of how you handle the relationship slider, folks. You don’t want to start a war.
What do you think a movie based on The Sims looks like? What types of personalities would you put inside a house to interact with one another? Let us know in the comments section below.