A film adaptation of the life-simulation gaming series The Sims was officially announced on Tuesday, marking Hollywood's latest attempt to capitalize on the video-game adaptation trend ignited by blockbusters like Super Mario Bros and Sonic the Hedgehog.
The long-rumored project is being developed for the big screen by Amazon MGM Studios, as revealed by video game powerhouse Electronic Arts during its investor day event. This announcement came as part of broader strategies to expand its highly profitable Sims franchise.
The Sims video game series originated from the well-known SimCity franchise. While its predecessor focused on city-building, The Sims, released in 2000, shifted the focus to individual homes, allowing players to customize everything from furniture to the relationships of their virtual inhabitants. Over the past 25 years, The Sims and its three sequels have collectively sold over 200 million copies. Electronic Arts is now also planning a multiplayer version of the game.
Kate Herron, renowned for her work on the Marvel superhero television series Loki, will direct and co-write the movie. Described by its original creator as a 'virtual doll house,' the flexible and open-ended Sims games typically lack specific goals or plotlines. Details about the film remain scarce, with no release date announced. However, EA's Kate Gorman informed Variety that the film would be 'very much rooted' in the games' universe, featuring a rich tapestry of Sims lore.
Margot Robbie's production company, LuckyChap, which was behind the unexpectedly successful movie adaptation of Barbie, will produce the film. 'We wanted the right partners and to make an impact the size of something like a Barbie movie is exactly what we want,' Gorman stated.
Other recent popular video-game adaptations include Sonic the Hedgehog, Uncharted, and the television series The Last of Us.
