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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

I'm adding some additional info coming via EW:

Among other intriguing items on the agenda for the division are plans to adapt video games from Annapurna Interactive, the gaming branch of the indie studio. First up is Stray, the award-winning adventure game from the developers at BlueTwelve Studio.

Released in 2022, Stray puts players in control of a stealthy cat who must traverse an underground city populated by robots and mutant bacteria with the help of a friendly drone, B-12. An animated movie based on Stray is in active development.

Robert Baird, who leads Annapurna Animation with Andrew Millstein, joined his fellow former Disney Animation executive for an interview with EW on a Monday afternoon in late August — having just come from a Stray brainstorming meeting.

"This is a game that's all about what makes us human, and there are no humans in it," he says. "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."

Baird went on to say that there's "something so emotional" that the creators are trying to capture when adapting the game to film. BlueTwelve, he explains, described the game as having a "sort of 'hopepunk' vibe," a narrative concept that optimism is a form of resistance. "I love that term, hopepunk," he says. "I think, if we are going to do this adaptation justice, this is going to be the first and greatest hopepunk movie that's ever been made."

'Stray' movie and 'Ice Age' director's next film a go at Annapurna

What's on the docket at Annapurna Animation? A 'Stray' movie based on the purr-fect video game and a new film from the director of 'Ice Age,' among other projects. We've got the exclusive details.

ew.com

 

[DeepEnigma]

Spoiler

I hope we get to see what the kitty sees at the end.

 

[RagnarokIV]

Day one son.

 

[Pelta88]

One of the best indie games I've played in a while. Glad to see the ip get broader recognition.

 

[Kupfer]

Great news for a great game!

 

[R6Rider]

Nice. I'm down.

 

[Deft Beck]

I mean, sure? I don't know how much it's going to add to the experience if you remove the interactivity and exploration.

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

Honestly, I feel like that's what it should've been in the first place. The game had a cool aesthetic but was dreadfully boring to play (and that camera... my God). A movie just makes more sense.

 

[Games of Today]

10/10 felt like a real cat and I need a sequel!

 

[Montauk]

The game looked barely interactive so a movie makes more sense.

 

[alucard0712_rus]

I like those Indy games, they are so different!

 

[Magic Carpet]

No voice actors needed. Should be a cheap movie to produce.

 

[RoadHazard]

That's cool, it's a nice story.

 

[RoadHazard]

No voice actors needed. Should be a cheap movie to produce.

There's a lot of talking robots in the game, plus your companion drone. But sure, they speak gibberish with subtitles, maybe they'll do the same here.

 

[RoadHazard]

The game looked barely interactive so a movie makes more sense.

Guess you haven't played it, so:

It's fully interactive. Sure, you can only jump to ledges etc that the game wants you to jump to, but if it seems like you should be able to jump to something you usually can, including to places where there's literally no point in going. So it's not like it's on rails or anything, you're in full control of the cat's movement. And while it is mostly pretty linear, a big part of the game consists of freely exploring a pretty big city area.

 

[RagnarokIV]

There's a lot of talking robots in the game, plus your companion drone. But sure, they speak gibberish with subtitles, maybe they'll do the same here.

I hope so. Firstly, the robot gibberish sounds cute (especially B12's 'voice').

Secondly, it'll fit nicely if language is irrelevant. It can have any language subbed in and be a truly global movie and get kids reading.

 

[RoadHazard]

I hope so. Firstly, the robot gibberish sounds cute (especially B12's 'voice').

Secondly, it'll fit nicely if language is irrelevant. It can have any language subbed in and be a truly global movie and get kids reading.

Yeah, but it's my understanding that Americans in particular absolutely hate reading subtitles and often plain refuse to do it (maybe because they can't...).

 

[Montauk]

Honestly, I feel like that's what it should've been in the first place. The game had a cool aesthetic but was dreadfully boring to play (and that camera... my God). A movie just makes more sense.

Yeah looked like a totally nothing game.

Guess you haven't played it, so:

It's fully interactive. Sure, you can only jump to ledges etc that the game wants you to jump to, but if it seems like you should be able to jump to something you usually can, including to places where there's literally no point in going. So it's not like it's on rails or anything, you're in full control of the cat's movement. And while it is mostly pretty linear, a big part of the game consists of freely exploring a pretty big city area.

The gameplay looked like 90% press x to jump to next foothold or press forward on the stick to move forward.

Like I said, barely interactive. It looks like if it wasn’t for the aesthetic and graphics, people wouldn’t have been raving about this one.

Don’t worry, you’re not alone - it’s an ever-growing problem in gaming. Gameplay becoming a tertiary consideration at best.

 

[RoadHazard]

Yeah looked like a totally nothing game.

The gameplay looked like 90% press x to jump to next foothold or press forward on the stick to move forward.

Like I said, barely interactive. It looks like if it wasn’t for the aesthetic and graphics, people wouldn’t have been raving about this one.

Don’t worry, you’re not alone - it’s an ever-growing problem in gaming.

And I'm telling you that a lot of the game is NOT like that. Yes, there are linear sections where you do pretty much just find the next spot to jump to a few times in a row, but there's also exploration, puzzles, side quests, etc.

So "barely interactive" is simply a very stupid take from someone who hasn't even played the game.

 

[Draugoth]

Gimme

 

[Montauk]

And I'm telling you that a lot of the game is NOT like that. Yes, there are linear sections where you do pretty much just find the next spot to jump to a few times in a row, but there's also exploration, puzzles, side quests, etc.

So "barely interactive" is simply a very stupid take from someone who hasn't even played the game.

What’s the ‘exploration’? Is it pressing forward on the stick and occasionally pressing x to leap to a foothold?

 

[Eiknarf]

The game looked barely interactive so a movie makes more sense.

Its actually really good and there's much to do/play.. Especially compared to that new Fort Solis that just came out, which had almost nothing to do gameplay-wise

 

[Montauk]

Its actually really good and there's much to do/play.. Especially compared to that new Fort Solis that just came out, which had almost nothing to do gameplay-wise

Not a flattering comparison really, is it?

 

[Eiknarf]

Not a flattering comparison really, is it?

Actually, a good comparison would be Little Nightmares I &II

 

[RoadHazard]

What’s the ‘exploration’? Is it pressing forward on the stick and occasionally pressing x to leap to a foothold?

No. As I said, you get to explore a pretty large open city area (and later another one) where you freely run around the streets, jump across the rooftops, enter different buildings, etc, to find items, help characters with different problems, solve puzzles, etc. It's not just a linear "interactive movie", it's more like a classic point and click adventure in large parts. There are also combat sequences etc.

But I guess you're just being intentionally dense.

 

[Edellus]

I'm intrigued how it will turn out, because although the story moves it forward, the game relies heavily on exploration (specially in the slums).

I'm glad the game is this successful to get it's own animation feature. I really enjoyed my time with it.

 

[indigo-cyclops]

Better keep that Yans van der Cruyssen soundtrack bro

 

[Drizzlehell]

Spoiler

I hope we get to see what the kitty sees at the end.

Sum pussy

 

[Danjin44]

 

[JimboJones]

Could be good! Beautiful game, loved the art style but got kinda burnt out on the gameplay and never finished.

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

I've updated the OP with more info on the upcoming Stray feature animation from Annapurna as EW has an exclusive piece on it.