Metroid has always been one of those Hollywood projects that's surprisingly close to being made ... and yet, it never is.
The rights have bounced around between studios and directors to no avail — despite the fact that Metroid is one of the few Nintendo franchises that could theoretically make the transition to the big screen, it doesn't seem like Samus' theatrical debut will be happening any time soon. For whatever reason, Hollywood and Nintendo just can't seem to get along.
Thankfully, it looks like the fans themselves are stepping up: Rainfall Films, a small production studio in L.A., has taken the task of bringing Samus to cinema into its own hands. Metroid: The Sky Calls is an 11-minute short film starring everyone's favorite blond-haired bounty hunter — and it's the closest thing to a big-budget Metroid film that fans may ever see.
Not only does Metroid: The Sky Calls manage to bring the inherent loneliness and isolation of Metroid to film, but it proves that the series could work as something other than a video game. In a lot of ways, The Sky Calls feels like the pilot episode of something bigger:
Metroid: The Sky Calls isn't perfect — Samus' gun-arm seems a bit big, and Jessica Chobot's performance doesn't always match the stern, determined warrior that fans are familiar with — but those small nitpicks don't necessarily matter much in the grand scheme of things.
If anything, Metroid: The Sky Calls is a wake-up call. It's quiet, somber, atmospheric — not only is it proof that video game adaptions can be better than the garbage that Hollywood usually produces, but it's proof that Nintendo could actually produce a big-screen project that's worth watching.
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like Nintendo or Hollywood are all that interested in the tale of Samus Aran. Who knows — maybe Rainfall Films will continue to do what Nintendo won't.
For more of Rainfall Films' works, check out the studio's official site.
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