Is this the ultimate geek fantasy career move? Jerry O'Flaherty art director on Gears of War and Unreal Tournament 3 has just taken on a new job: directing Warner Brothers' CG-animated Thundercats movie. From blockbusting hardcore shooters to cult retro cartoon flicks? That's not a job swap, that's a slightly inebriated three am gamer conversation.
Recognising the growing creative synergy between games and films, O'Flaherty told Variety, "It feels like a natural thing for me to step into. Games have come so far now. The last four years of my life have been about bringing the energy of filmmaking into the videogame experience."
He's not the only videogame veteran to go in this direction. Let us not forget Chris Roberts of Origin Systems who went from creating the Wing Commander series of successful space shooter games to directing the staggeringly unsuccessful Wing Commander movie. More recently, Deus Ex designer Warren Spector has teamed up with John Woo for the simultaneous movie/game project, Ninja Gold (more here).
Anyway, for Thundercats fans who've had their interest piqued by this news, Variety says that the movie is partly an 'origins of...' deal which, "expands on the major heroes and villains from the animated series, with the plot focusing on Lion-O coming of age as the leader of the Thundercats".
Do you rememeber the Thundercats game on the ZX Spectrum? You just walked along in a straight line bludgeoning people with a club.
