The Sims, a cult video game, is to be adapted into a film after the success of “Barbie” and “Super Mario Bros.”

CULTURE – Will there be a swimming pool without a ladder in this movie? It’s official: a feature film based on the cult video game “The Sims” is currently in development, Electronic Arts confirmed on Tuesday, September 17, hoping to replicate the excitement generated by recent adaptations of the Mario and Sonic universes for the big screen.

The company made the project public at an investor conference after months of rumors. It will work with Amazon MGM Studios to bring “The Sims” to the big screen.

Since its first opus released in 2000, this video game – where the player can customize everything, from the furniture of the house to the relationships of his avatars – has established itself as a franchise known throughout the world. The four parts released in 25 years total more than 200 million copies sold and Electronic Arts is currently preparing a multiplayer version.

A film ” very anchored » in the world of games

The film is to be directed and co-written by Kate Herron, a filmmaker known for the Marvel series. Loki and the Netflix soap opera Sex Education.

Described by their creator as a “virtual dollhouse”the games of the franchise “The Sims” usually do not have specific goals or plot.

Several generations of players have seized this space of freedom, without prohibitions or norms: the first game already allowed homosexual relations and, since “The Sims 2”a man’s body can give birth.

Details about the film are scarce and no release date has been set. But the feature film will be “very anchored” in the universe of the games and will include many elements of the history of the “Sims”assured Kate Gorman, an executive at Electronic Arts, to Variety magazine.

The producers of “ Barbie » behind the project

LuckyChap, the company of actress Margot Robbie, which is behind the film adaptation of the global hit “Barbie”must produce the film on “The Sims”.

“We wanted the right partners and having an impact similar to that of a Barbie movie is exactly what we want”Gorman explained.

The peroxide doll movie dominated the global box office last year. Not far behind, “Super Mario Bros, the Movie”based on the adventures of Nintendo’s famous plumber, has established itself as the second biggest commercial success of 2024.

Other recent Hollywood hits inspired by video games include: “Sonic the Movie”about Sega’s blue hedgehog, and the series “The Last of Us”.

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