Prime Video’sSecret Levelhighlighted the potential of several popular video game franchises, and one is officially getting a movie adaptation by Sony. The anthology series did a stellar job of bringing numerous gaming IPs to life, as over 15 differentvideo games were featured throughoutSecret Level.Although not every episode managed to reach its full potential, it’s clear many of the games involved have cinematic and TV potential beyond short stories, which even Sony seems to have recognized as the company announced some of their biggest titles would be receiving fresh adaptations.
GivenSecret Levelepisode 15focused entirely on PlayStation games, Prime Video’s show felt like the perfect warm-up to see just how well these games could do outside their regular format. Some worked better as cameos, but others proved they deserved the chance to carry a fully-fledged story. One game, in particular, stole the show in “Playtime: Fulfillment”, and Sony has thankfully acknowledged this by confirmingHelldiversis getting its own movie. After the franchise’s massive 2024, it seems like the future is bright for the action game, andSecret Levelis partly responsible for unlocking its full potential.
Secret Level Showed How Fun A Helldivers Movie Could Be
Helldivers Was The Highlight Of Secret Level’s PlayStation Episode
DespiteHelldiversonly getting a few smallcameos throughoutSecret Level’s PlayStationepisode, the characters absolutely made the most of their limited screen time. The Helldivers' funny quips and commitment to democracy perfectly highlight their personality from the game series, and their comradery at the end of the episode is easy for audiences to get a kick out of. Given there were some huge IPs that featured in “Playtime: Fulfillment” such asGod of War,Shadow of the Colossus, andGhost of Tsushima, the fact thatHelldiversstood out the most is a testament to how entertaining it is.
Secret Level’s Tribute To PlayStation Quietly Calls Out Modern Gaming Trends
The final episode of Secret Level pays a loving tribute to PlayStation, all the while criticizing negative trends of the modern video game scene.
Although there is plenty of violence and many deep themes at play when it comes to the third-person shooter franchise,Prime Video perfectly displayed how funHelldiverscan be. As a result, a feature-length film would blow anythingSecret Leveldone out of the water regarding the IP, and Helldivers' cinematic spectacle has all the potential to be one of the best gaming adaptations yet. Therefore, assuming the live-action movie captures the borderline hilarious state of its main faction without trivializing the terrible acts of Super Earth, the franchise’s big-screen debut will undoubtedly be a massive hit.
What To Expect From Sony’s Helldivers Movie
Super Earth’s False Democracy Will Likely Be At The Heart Of Helldivers' Cinematic Outing
Considering it was just announced, there are no details currently about theHelldiversmovie’s plot, but expect a tale about liberty, freedom, and a false democracy. In the games, the Helldivers willfully serve Super Earth and battle factions such as the Illuminate, Terminids, and Automatons with the belief that they are keeping democracy alive. However, the reality of the situation is much darker, as Super Earth is an oppressive regime that restricts voting rights and even punishes those who request to manually vote for a candidate by sending them to a freedom camp and sometimes publicly executing them.
The movie seems destined to continue these themes by showcasing the Helldivers in action against their enemies while playing to the brainwashed nature of Super Earth’s soldiers. Embodying the elements that makeHelldivers IIone of thebest co-op shooter gameson the market won’t be easy, but balancing the somewhat light-hearted humor of the central characters with the franchise’s much darker themes is crucial, and they should be present in the movie.
Helldivers IIis available to buy on PlayStation 5 or PC.
Beyond the political undertones,Helldivers' cinematic debut must be as action-packed as the games and shouldn’t hold out on the violence. The explosive weapons and ferocious creatures make the series a gory bloodbath at times and, mixed with its constantly entertaining lore, theHelldiversmovie has plenty to expect that will captivate its audience.
PlayStation Has Plenty Of Other Video Game Adaptations In The Works Alongside Helldivers
WhileHelldiversgetting an adaptation is extremely exciting, it’s far from the only game PlayStation plans on transitioning into other media, as they already have many projects in the works. Alongside theHelldiversmovie,Sony announced that a live-actionHorizon Zero Dawnfilm is happening as well as aGhost of Tsushimaanime. Additionally, after the success of season 1,The Last of Us' second installment is set to arrive in April. The HBO show made a huge impression when it first arrived on-screen, and season 2 is set to continue the story by adaptingTLOU Part II’s controversial narrative.
After Kratos' underwhelming cameo inSecret Level,God of Waralso has a TV show in development, while games likeUnchartedandTwisted Metalhave had previous projects.
The Last of Usisn’t the only PlayStation game with a live-action project coming in April though, asUntil Dawnwill hit the big screen on the 25th. After Kratos' underwhelming cameo inSecret Level,God of Waralso has a TV show in development, while games likeUnchartedandTwisted Metalhave had previous projects, showing how busy Sony has been with their video game adaptations.
More will inevitably be on the way in the future, and even those that aren’t cut out for a full show or movie could feature inSecret Level, provingHelldiversis just one of many PlayStation franchises that have a large future outside the gaming industry.
Secret Level
Secret Level is an adult animated series exploring original short stories set within the worlds of popular video games. Each episode introduces new adventures, delving into iconic gaming classics and forthcoming titles to unlock captivating narratives and immersive experiences. Created by Tim Miller, the series celebrates gaming culture.
