Australian-made twin-stick shooter End of Ember has been optioned for film and TV, with a new development agreement penned between creator Bad Plan Studios and independent Australian production company, Cosmic Scream.
The move aligns with Cosmic Scream’s intention to support unique Australian genre content, including quirky horror projects.
End of Ember set for screen debut – quick links
What to know about End of Ember
End of Ember is an upcoming horror game with a neat twist: you play as a bright young girl, armed with a magical gun-chainsaw, who’s sent to hell and must defeat countless demons to survive. The game features a colourful cartoon art style that brings to mind Rick and Morty and Smiling Friends, pairing cutesy characters with gore and gross humour.
We can certainly see the potential in a more narrative-focussed adaptation, particularly one that leans into the game’s pop art style. While the exact nature of the game’s upcoming screen debut hasn’t been detailed yet, it’s clear Cosmic Scream sees potential in its established story and aesthetic.
‘We’ve loved spending time in the world of End of Ember,’ Cosmic Scream co-founder Henry Koehne said in a press release. ‘It’s bold, visually distinctive and emotionally charged, which makes it an exciting foundation to build from as we explore its potential for film and television.’
Cosmic Scream aims to gather support for End of Ember in international film markets
As noted, Cosmic Scream is set to participate in the upcoming European Film Market, which features a dedicated Animation Day for studios to present international animation projects with market appeal to producers, financiers, sales companies, broadcasters, and distributors.
The company also sees potential in the timing of this potential adaptation, due to ‘increasing demand for Australian-made screen content, following new local content investment requirements for global streaming platforms.’
For now, the upcoming project remains in the planning phases, but Cosmic Scream and Bad Plan Studios feel positive about the future of their collaboration, and what could result.
‘We have a great creative vibe with the Cosmic Scream guys, and their ideas are just rad,’ Dan McGuiness, Creative Director of End of Ember said. ‘They immediately understood the tone and spirit of End of Ember, and we’re excited to explore how this world can expand into film and television.’
Stay tuned for more on this in-development project.
Also on ScreenHub: Without the cosy games community, new Aussie MMO Loftia ‘wouldn’t be here’
Upcoming Australian-made MMO Loftia is a project of lofty ambitions. It aims to be a warm, welcoming MMO for everyone that recaptures the pure, cosy vibes of early 2000s web gaming on sites like Club Penguin and Habbo Hotel. Speaking to ScreenHub, developers Martina Qin and Michael Su of Qloud Games described these gaming experiences as being formative to the creation of Loftia. Both developers grew up adventuring in MMOs, with each fostering a long-term love for multiplayer online worlds.
During the coronavirus pandemic, Qin and Su explored this passion further, even dabbling in the cosy game genre. Along the way, they discovered a shared belief in something missing: an MMO that combined the best parts of the cosy and multiplayer genres.
‘So, the idea for Loftia was born,’ Su tells ScreenHub. ‘[That was] about four years ago. It’s been quite the journey since.’
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