Personally, I think it’s only a matter of time before Hollywood makes a full feature movie based on the Skyrim video game. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Bethesda was already having preliminary discussions with Twentieth Century Fox or Universal to do this very thing. Think about it — a movie version of Skyrim makes perfect sense, and I don’t think you could ask for a better time to launch such a project. Not only has Skyrim recently been awarded top game of the year honors, but fantasy movies in general are hotter than a dual cast Flame spell with the second installment of The Hobbit scheduled to be released later this year. True, movies based on video games have traditionally flopped (Super Mario Bros. and Mortal Kombat anyone?), but there have been some limited Hollywood successes (Resident Evil and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider come to mind). A highly anticipated Mass Effect movie is already in the works, so Hollywood hasn’t completely turned its back on the genre.
The timing couldn’t be better, and a Skyrim movie is just begging to be made. In order to turn the Skyrim video game into a successful movie however, Hollywood needs to be cautious when telling the story of the Dragonborn. I’m sure Hollywood could churn out a sword and sorcery flick called “Skyrim” with very little thought given to the game itself and still make a profit, but how much better would a movie be if it faithfully drew on the storied history of the Elder Scrolls franchise? Basically, if Bethesda is going to allow a movie version of Skyrim to be made, the game’s massive fan base wants to see the film made in the right way. In part this means staying true to the game’s striking visuals, costumes, weapons, characters, and setting — not to mention the storyline itself. If I’m fortunate enough to be able to go to the theater in a few years to watch a movie based on my favorite video game, I want to be able to recognize it. I feel Bethesda did a wonderful job with the game’s live action commercial (the best commercial ever made for a video game in my opinion), so I know that it’s possible for a movie to stay true to the game’s roots as well.
Some things I definitely don’t want to see in a Skyrim movie:
- Johnny Depp. Don’t get me wrong — I’m not a Johhny Depp hater, but the movie industry is over-saturated with this guy. I still can’t believe they pegged him to play Tonto in the upcoming Lone Ranger movie. To me, signing Johnny Depp is a sign of desperation and tells me that Hollywood doesn’t think that a movie can stand on it’s own merit.
- The neglect of character development. By it’s very nature, a Skyrim movie would be loaded with special effects (flying dragons, exploding fireballs, enchanted weapons, etc.). Special effects are important — especially in a fantasy movie, but a strong, character driven story would be even more crucial to the film’s overall success.
- Gratuitous violence. All right, I completely understand that the Skyrim video game is rated “Mature,” but the violence isn’t overwhelming by any means. Sure, the Dragonborn runs his sword through enemies in the game’s cinematic closeups, but the violence is tame compared to the vast majority of “Mature” games on the market (seriously, with a bit of tweaking Skyrim could easily have been rated “Teen”). I think it would be a mistake if a movie “cheapened out” by having an overwhelming amount of blood and gore. Violence for the sake of story telling can be a good thing, but violence for the sake of violence isn’t. I believe a Skyrim movie would have wider audience appeal if it were rated PG-13 as opposed to R.
So what do you think? Is a Skyrim movie in the works? Stay tuned fellow travelers! I believe all signs point to yes.
[youtube_sc url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1AenlOEXao”]
I would totally love it if they made a Skyrim movie. And no flop please! i mean they have the means to make great films, so just do it. It will sell. Like you said, it’s a hot genre, even now a year after this post.
Skyrim must have strong actors, a good story and sweet special effects. Flaming swords, or better yet, a frosty warhammer with a chance of freezing the enemy!
A sly roguish/mage [dark-elf nightblade?] “follower”, who helps the main character escape Helgen and uses soul-trap to enchant gear, wielding two magical swords.
The main character [female?] is trained in big two-handeded weapons and restoration magic.
I’m getting a bit tired of seeing male leads in movies but then you need a woman who can do a convincing dragonborn, looks tough as nails and can handle weapons. Kristanna Loken would be able to pull it of. She also looks the part, if they go for a Nord lead character.
Or maybe even two “followers”? And maybe one of them can summon magical creatures?
They could find a stray dog like in the game. The dog is harassing mammoths and giants so he can steal some mammoth cheese or mammoth snout. But the dog might have to be virtual then…
Too many ideas.
Female lead: Kristanna Loken [Ring of the Nibelungs / Curse of the Ring]
Male lead: Chris Hemsworth [Thor]
Great ideas! I’m still hopeful that a Skyrim movie will be made. The Elder Scrolls series has a lot of rich lore to draw upon. If they could truly make this movie the right way (good writing, actors, story, etc.), I know it would be special.
Bethesda would have to reinstall Jeremy Soule for the movie score. TES is legend because of the score. TES online sucked eggs and the score with it. Bethesda will have to get JS back since the Skyrim game was tailored around the original Elder Scroll scores and the main theme.
I don’t understand why Bethesda is opposed to JS again. He and his brother helped make that game what it is and the legend of what it was. If you are going to petition Bethesda do it to get JS back and write some more for them. They game and soundtrack go hand in hand. So the movie would need to also for gamers.
OK Im a retired videogamer, i still play oblivion and skirim. i hope officials see this, ILL BE RIGHT PISSED OFF IF THIS MOVIE IS NOT MADE. its a great story. Iv thoght of makeing videos covering diff variables of this game real life, i cant afford it. FYI if any officals see this post and need acters for this… come find me 😉
I would be pissed if it dosent have a moment were the main character wakes up on a cart going to his death
They could make 3 movies for each of the dlc and each movie could have a different character race like standard dragonborn for the main game a redguard for dawnguard and ????? for dragonborn (the dlc)
Make the game Skyrim movie would be the best idea of all I am from Czech Republic and I am a big fan of games and ksyrim be a movie in the theater I definitely miss nenachal and I believe that a lot of people would go to a movie.
I think it will be very very very very very fantastic if they make a Skyrim movie that will be very cool I think it will make a lot of money for it to be in a theater. I’m really really really really really really really really really really a Skyrim fan I like this video game very very very very very very very very very much.
I hear you, Dylan! I still believe Skyrim is destined to become a movie. There’s simply is too much potential for Hollywood to ignore.
Would be definitely a SUCCESS!! like every fan would watch/buy it, and the story is already available all it needs is transformation into a movie, hopefully if it is destined to become a movie, it has to be a very very professional production.
We all still believe and want to watch the Skyrim movie, a good title I recommend would be: SKYRIM: Tale of the Dragonborn / or / SKYRIM: Tale of DO VAH KIIN!!!!
What if they made 3 movies for the different “classes”: Mage, warrior, and, thief? Using the College of Winterhold, Companions, and either the Thieve’s Guild or Dark Brotherhood<(maybe)? Like the entire quest lines and then one just for the Dragonborn and main quest line? Then maybe short clips for the Daedric(?) quests? Tell me if this is good or not.
I have read in other forums that skyrim won’t be made into a movie cause all the work. They made a Assassins Creed movie, they made silent hill and resident evil as well as others. Skyrim or Elder scrolls would be as big of a hit if not bigger then LOTR and the Hobbit. They can start with skyrim no DLC’s. then expand however they want doing the dlc’s and the other games ( Daggerfall, Arena, etc) making billions of dollars cause we all know that’s what it would come down to. All I ask is Skyrim and the DLC Dragonborn have the same character played by the same actor and he be a Nord. I state that cause the scripture in the game states ” he wielded a power of the ancient NORD art”. The rest of them could be different people just follow the story line to that chapter,(DLC or main story line) I will pay top dollar to be one of the first to see every one of those movies even pay extra to get a ticket in advanced. My question to the producers is this, if we can do loads of STAR WARS, Resident Evil, LOTR movies why can’t you do the same with skyrim and the elder scrolls? I expect a better answer then ” it costs too much and lots of work” ( in a sarcastic whinny voice mimicking a producer) Sincerely,
A aggravated fan until I see some results
Thayer the Nord
They should just make a movie about the main storyline of elderscrolls 5 and the civil war between the empire or the stormcloaks
Agreed. I’d absolutely love to see that story on the big screen.
Nunon tiik nau voth zey. mu fen wahl nii koros
(Just hang on with me. we will make it happen)
Plz tell me its going to happen!
woww…. i rely want to see to movie.. pless make it happen..
I would really love this if it becomes a movie, I really love the game I played it for 2 years and I still love it.I would pay a lot of money for this, please they should get top movie producers to make this I would literally jump up in the air and say yes if I hear that they officially make this.I stil play Skyrim and I would buy any new elder scrolls that comes out or any sequel for Skyrim. That all what I wanted to say and thank you for making this fan site and I hope this becomes a movie, I wish if you can get help to make this movie,thank you
It whold be cool for Skyrim to be made into a movie with Werewolf’s Vampire’s and And Vampire Lord’s that whold be cool to see Werewolf’s Vampire Lord’s in a Skyrim movie that will be super Awesome and cool to see a Skyrim movie be in a Movie theater. I’m a true Skyrim can i will be super mad if Skyrim is made into a movie.
Skyrim would be the best movie of the year… The century! If they can do Game of Thrones and Warcraft they could definitely do Skyrim. Some things that would be a must though is: 1) follow the game! Don’t try to go out of the games storyline and 2) it would be a shame if they left out the factions like the Companions or especially the College of Winterhold; even if they had to make it a little longer or break the movie up into parts it would make it that more special. Wouldn’t it be cool if they even had the Dragonborn find the DarkBrotherhood notes that you get before you join? [“Somebody wants this poor fool dead” – Astrid]
Well. It’s happening.
If they do make a Skyrim movie. Hollywood will need to follow the storyline correctly. But the best part about them making a Skyrim movie is thanks to the gameplay and also thanks to the DLC it opens up a possible sequal or trilogy, pending on the choices made. For example if they follow the path of the Dragonborn they wont have too but the can add onto it just to extend the movie a bit but adding the Dragonborn DLC content to the storyline. Have Miraak cause problems for the Dragonborn as he is trying to deal with Alduin. Course thats how i play the game. Puts more of a challenge to it.
In Fact if they were to make a skyrim movie and make the Dragonborn male, i say Chris Hemsworth, do to his role in Marvel Comics: Thor, would make a perfect Nord Dragonborn and Ian McKellon would make a outstanding Addition to the Greybeards as Arngeir, do to his role as Gandalf in LotR and Hobbit Trilogies, if the Dragonborn is a female. They would have to get the Actress down to a T, specially if the Dragonborn is a Nord. Which means No Angelena Jolie, Hollywood. As sexy as she was in Tomb Raider and Wanted, No.
Now. The other thing that hollywood would have to get correct is the Dragonborns power, His Thuum. The words have to be done correctly. Which means if he uses Unrelenting Force he has to say the shout correctly, as well as the other shouts used by the dragonborn and the way he obtains the powers as well which could add to another extension to the movie. But that means that Hollywood wouldnt be Making a movie. Which means that they could make it into a TV Series. But if they make it into a movie. Because i know how hollywood is, they could put him through, what i like to call a “TIME SKIP” which they show a series of images or scenes of the dragonborn dealing with the tombs, obtaining Words of Power, so he has the Word and battling dragons, after the battle with Miraak if they add him, obtaining their souls and gaining the Thuums before taking the fight to Alduin.
I believe Skyrim if made into a movie should have mckellen as a greybeard and Chris Hemsworth as dragonborn and maybe hugh jackman as hadvar. The film I think should include some lore on atmora and most definitely have paarthanax. James earl Jones would be awesome for paarthanax.
skyrim is my perfect game and if they make a movie i will call it game of the world