Latest news with #DukeNukem
Geek Tyrant
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
CASTLEVANIA Producer Adi Shankar Acquires DUKE NUKEM Rights, Promises No-Nonsense Adaptation — GeekTyrant
After turning Castlevania into one of Netflix's most acclaimed animated series and landing a second season for his upcoming Devil May Cry adaptation, renegade producer Adi Shankar has now set his sights on another iconic piece of gaming history with Duke Nukem . In a recent interview with Esquire, Shankar casually dropped the news. 'I bought the rights to Duke Nukem . Not the gaming rights, but I bought it from Gearbox.' No big studio fanfare, no corporate announcement—just classic Shankar style. Of course, Duke Nukem has had a rough ride trying to leap into Hollywood. Several failed attempts have been made over the years, but Shankar thinks he knows why it never worked, and why it will now. 'Duke Nukem can't be made by a corporation because the moment a corporation makes Duke Nukem, it's no longer Duke Nukem. I don't intend on having anyone tell me what to do on this one.' That kind of creative independence is what's made Shankar's work stand out. He doesn't aim to sanitize or rebrand Duke. He wants to embrace the chaos of it: 'It's a middle finger to everybody. When Duke Nukem blew up, a bunch of people sat around trying to turn it into a brand, when it's just a middle finger.' A bombastic, politically incorrect anti-hero paired with a filmmaker who thrives on subverting expectations. With Shankar at the helm under his Bootleg Universe banner, it sounds like we'll be getting something that doesn't pull punches or cater to safe studio notes. His has a passion for pushing boundaries in adult animation. Beyond Castlevania and Devil May Cry , Shankar's fingerprints are on Netflix's The Guardians of Justice (Will Save You!) and Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix . What ties all of these projects together is a commitment to reclaiming American animation's wild side. 'I grew up on action-heavy Saturday cartoons. American Saturday morning cartoons were f—ing sick. I didn't even live in America and I watched them! 'They made me want to be here. But they were boxed in by broadcast standards, and I wondered what these stories would become if they weren't held back.' Now, he's answering that question himself, describing his creative mission as '[building] something new rooted in American action storytelling.' He adds: 'This genre needs a name, because it's not anime. It's something that lives between Saturday morning cartoons, prestige television, and R-rated cinema.' Whatever name that genre eventually earns, there's no doubt who's leading the charge. With Duke Nukem locked and loaded in his arsenal, Shankar's universe just got a little more unhinged, and I'm excited to see what he does with this. There was a Duke Nukem movie that was announced three years ago from Legendary Entertainment and the the Cobra Kai series team, Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, but I guess that's not happening anymore?
Geek Culture
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
'Duke Nukem' Adaptation Set By 'Devil May Cry' & ‘Castlevania' Showrunner Adi Shanker
Legendary gaming icon Duke Nukem is back, just not in a way most are expecting, as Adi Shankar, showrunner of Netflix's Devil May Cry and Castlevania animated series, has acquired the screen rights to the classic shooter franchise for his next game-to-screen adaptation. Speaking to Esqurie, Shankar spoke on his future plans, which, apart from season two of Devil May Cry , included a Duke Nukem show. 'I'm being approached with different IPs and companies that want to work with me,' he explained, 'I bought the rights to Duke Nukem. Not the gaming rights, but I bought it from Gearbox.' Duke Nukem 3D (1996) Even though the project is still in its infancy, Shankar already has plans for his take on the iconic '90s video game franchise. 'It's a middle finger to everybody,' he described when asked about his vision for the show, 'When Duke Nukem blew up, a bunch of people sat around trying to turn it into a brand, when it's just a middle finger. Duke Nukem can't be made by a corporation, because the moment a corporation makes Duke Nukem , it's no longer Duke Nukem . I don't intend on having anyone tell me what to do on this one.' From his comments alone, it seems like his adaptation will be as unapologetic and no-holds-barred as its gaming source material, which was made famous by its tongue-in-cheek nature, violence and self-aware immaturity. Duke Nukem Forever (2011) Duke Nukem entered the video game scene in 1991 as a series of 2D platformers created by Apogee Software Ltd. (now 3D Realms). The franchise would rise to fame in 1996 with Duke Nukem 3D , which transformed it into the FPS icon many know today. The series would go on to receive numerous sequels and spin-offs over 15 years, culminating in 2011's infamous Duke Nukem Forever , which was heavily criticised by critics and fans alike, effectively killing the series… until now, that is. Still, it's unclear what form the project will eventually take, be it an animated series like his previous works, a live-action TV show, or a movie. It's also unknown how his acquisition of the franchise's screen rights will affect Legendary Entertainment's Duke Nukem movie by Cobra Kai creators Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg. Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise 'duds' like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3 . He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying. Adi Shankar Devil May Cry adaptation duke nukem
Gizmodo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
‘Duke Nukem' Show Coming From Game Adaptation Honcho Adi Shankar
After helping get adaptations for Castlevania, Devil May Cry, and Far Cry onto Netflix, Adi Shankar has now set his sights on Duke Nukem. The well-known showrunner-executive producer recently told Esquire Magazine he bought the rights to the shooter franchise. He probably won't get to it for a while—he's got a second season of Devil May Cry to work on, plus adaptations for Assassin's Creed, PUBG, Hyper Light Drifter, and who knows what else—but he's already got an idea for what the potential series will be. 'It's a middle finger to everybody,' he said. 'When Duke blew up, a bunch of people sat around trying to turn it into a brand. It can't be made by a corporation, because the moment a corporation makes Duke Nukem, it's no longer Duke Nukem. I don't intend on having anyone tell me what to do on this one.' The original Duke Nukem was a 2D platformer released in 1991 from Apogee Software and 3D Realms. Later installments transitioned to first and third-person shooters, but each game puts Duke in fights against aliens or the military. Its last installment was 2011's Duke Nukem Forever, which came out after Borderlands creator Gearbox (which now owns the franchise) took over development duties with Triptych Games and Pirahna Games, and opened to pretty lousy reviews. The franchise hasn't been seen since, but over the years, there's been suggestions of a film adaptation, and the Cobra Kai creators are attached as of 2022. Who knows if Shankar's show means a Duke Nukem game is on the horizon, since Gearbox is currently on Borderlands 4 duty and his other adaptations haven't yet yielded new games for their respective source materials. But if the show ends up happening, it'll certainly be worth talking about, for better and worse. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
