‘Outrageous’: Paul W.S. Anderson on Directors Who Adapt Games Without Playing

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Paul W.S. Anderson, who directed four of the six Resident Evil movies starring Milla Jovovich, recently discussed the challenges of adapting video games into films. He criticized directors who don’t actually play the games they’re adapting, calling that approach completely unacceptable.

Paul WS Anderson says adapting games without playing is a ‘disservice’ to its fans

The director of In the Lost Lands recently said on a podcast that it’s crucial to be very familiar with a video game before adapting it into a movie.

Paul W.S. Anderson shared on Post Games that he believes it’s crucial for a director to be a fan of the source material when adapting a video game. He expressed his surprise when directors admit to not having played the game they’re making a movie about, comparing it to adapting a classic novel like War and Peace without ever reading it. He finds it unbelievable to rely solely on the script and disregard the original work.

Anderson explained that overlooking player dedication is disrespectful to those who are passionate about the game and have spent considerable time and effort building its community.

Paul W.S. Anderson is a seasoned director when it comes to adapting video games into movies. He directed four of the original six Resident Evil films, and he also directed the very first Mortal Kombat movie, released in 1995.

The filmmaker, age 60, explained that he always ensures his production designers are familiar with the game – either by playing it themselves or watching others play – so they understand its visual style. He also makes sure the director of photography understands how the camera work functions in the game. He believes these details are crucial, as he strives to replicate the feeling of the original game in his film adaptations.

Anderson also emphasized that successful adaptations depend on respecting the original work’s intellectual property and truly understanding what players enjoy about the game.

The Resident Evil series is being reimagined once again. This time, Zach Cregger, who worked on the weapons for previous games, will be directing the new version.

Originally reported by Apoorv Rastogi on ComingSoon.net.

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2026-02-26 19:57