Although most guys know Hollywood uber-producer Jerry Bruckheimer for summer action flicks like Top Gun, The Rock, Con Air and Armageddon, Van Toffler, president of MTV Networks Music & Logo Group, would love for Bruckheimer to take MTV Games out of its comfort zone of rhythmic gaming like The Beatles: Rock Band and attract more females.
“It’s a much more natural and organic fit for us,” added Toffler. “I hope that Jerry takes us to more adventurous places around storytelling in gaming.”
Above: Bruckheimer and co.
Wait a second? Bruckheimer and storytelling women are interested in? Lest you forget, with hit TV shows like C.S.I., Without a Trace, Cold Case, and Amazing Race, Bruckheimer has been attracting viewers of the fairer sex since his first foray into TV 12 years ago. That too, was a major reason for the partnership between MTV Games and Jerry Bruckheimer Games. The deal, which was locked back in December 2007, finally took shape this week with the hiring of former Microsoft Executive Producer Jim Veevaert and former Ubisoft executive Jay Cohen to lead Bruckheimer’s game studio.
“I see more of a connection to women coming to gaming as being a spark for Jerry Bruckheimer’s style of storytelling coming to gaming,” said Toffler. “Gaming is really starting to explode with women, particularly story-driven games like The Sims. I think Jerry has managed to bring both men and women into his storytelling from Pirates of the Caribbean to National Treasure. He does a great blend of action in storytelling and moving narrative forward.”
Above: Bruckheimer gave us C.S.I. Miami. YEAHHHHHHHHHHHH
One of Bruckheimer Films’ latest projects, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, should attract both male and female audiences when Disney releases the tentpole movie next summer. Based on the Ubisoft videogame, Bruckheimer hopes to do for games what he did for theme park rides.
“We liked the concept of the game and felt like we could do some interacting character development with the characters,” said Bruckheimer. “We felt we could make it very exciting, which I think we’ve done.”
When it comes to translating a game into a film, Bruckheimer went straight to the source, hiring Prince of Persia creator Jordan Mechner.
Above: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time – Bruckheimer’s next Disney joint
“I think to honor what gamers like about the game, you work with the people who actually created the game,” said Bruckheimer. “So the individual who created the games for us worked with us on the screenplay and everything else, so he's part of the process. He's not going to do something that would hurt his fan base.”
Bruckheimer brought in director Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) to direct Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, opening May 28, 2010. Jake Gyllenhaal steps into the shoes of the prince with Ben Kingsley, Gemma Arterton, Alfred Molina and Steve Toussaint rounding out the cast.
