We have our first official look at the Monster Hunter movie. The video game adaptation has been in the works for several years now and director Paul W.S. Anderson, the man behind the Resident Evil franchise, is at the helm. Production kicked off early last month and we've seen some behind the scenes looks and a few set photos from the cast. But now, the studio has released the first official image, revealing Milla Jovovich as Artemis and Tony Jaa as The Hunter
Unfortunately, there are no actual monsters in the image. That said, both Artemis and The Hunter look pretty faithful to what people have come to expect from the game. Tony Jaa is carrying an almost hilariously big bone sword that looks like it could only possibly come from a video game centered on hunting and killing giant monsters. More specifically, Milla Jovovich has a chest piece directly inspired by the Odogaron chest piece from the game. Anderson also says that her character will be the viewers way in.
"She is the game player, in a way, she is the audience's avatar, their way into the world."
Monster Hunter explores a world of dangerous and powerful monsters that rule their domain with deadly ferocity. The movie centers on Lt. Artemis (Milla Jovovich) and her soldiers who are transported from the world they know to this new monster-filled world. As a result, the lieutenant receives the shock of her life. The situation evolves into a harsh battle for survival against enormous enemies, who are equipped with incredible powers. Artemis will have to team up with a man who has found a way to fight these monsters if they have any hope of surviving.
Despite several big attempts in recent years, such as Warcraft and Rampage, Hollywood still hasn't managed to produce a wholly satisfying, critically-embraced video game movie that can also go on to become a hit at the box office. But for whatever it may be worth, Paul W.S Anderson and Milla Jovovich, now real-life husband and wife, created the most successful video game movie franchise with Resident Evil. The six movies grossed a combined $1.2 billion at the box office, reaching a series best with last year's The Final Chapter. If anyone, on paper, is qualified to bring Monster Hunter to life, it's them. Plus, Anderson is a self-described "long-term fan of the game," which doesn't hurt anything.
The nice thing, in this particular case, is that the game doesn't have an overly complex story that the filmmakers are married to. It's mostly just people fighting giant monsters. Hopefully, they can manage to craft a satisfying narrative around that concept. The cast of the movie also includes Ron Perlman, rapper-turned-actor T.I. and Meagan Good. Sony has not yet announced a release date. Be sure to check out the first official Monster Hunter photo below. This news was previously reported by IGN
