Dead Island, the game with the captivating buzz-generating trailer is now out, and while it's been riddled with bugs, it does offer a fun 4-player co-op experience. That trailer, which made headlines outside of video game mediam caused a bit of a stir in the film industry as - like most games - there was interest from producers to acquire the game's license to eventually adapt it to the big screen.

When the trailer hit it big, Sean Daniel and Union Entertainment were reported by The Wrap to have had the Dead Island rights since 2009 but this was false information. Deep Silver, publisher of Dead Island, verified at the time that no one owned the rights but them and that they were looking at their options from the understandably large amoung of inquiries.

They've done so, and now that game is out and doing well (2 million units+ sold already), have made a decision. In an official announcement made yesterday, Lionsgate revealed that they have optioned the Dead Island film rights from Deep Silver and plan

Lionsgate’s co-COO and Motion Picture Group President Joe Drake explains how pursuing the Dead Island film rights was an easy decision.

"Like the hundreds of journalists and millions of fans who were so passionate and vocal about the Dead Island trailer, we too were awestruck. This is exactly the type of property we’re looking to adapt at Lionsgate — it’s sophisticated, edgy, and a true elevation of a genre that we know and love.  It also has built in brand recognition around the world, and franchise potential."

Funny enough, after all the hoopla back in February, Sean Daniel is in fact one of the producers on the Dead Island film which is now only currently in early development with producers attached.

Right now, all we know is that the Dead Island trailer will serve as the basis for the film so we cannot confirm if the game's playable roster of characters will form the core cast of the movie.

What we can say is that video game movies are almost on a perfect streak of fail and like we say over and over again here at Game Rant, sooner or later, one or two major game adaptations will hit it big - not just financially, but among critics and most importantly, fans. When that day comes, the industry will change and dozens of major video game adaptations waiting to happen will be pushed by the studios and video games will rival that of comic book movies.

Can Dead Island make for a unique (and good) movie in an overcrowded zombie genre?

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