Sony is ready to bring its critically acclaimed PlayStation hits to the screen in a new way. Today the company launched PlayStation Productions, a unit built to adapt video games for film and television. The Sony production unit will be headed by Asad Qizilbash, previously VP of Marketing Exclusive Games & World Wide Studios IP Expansion. Qizilbash will be overseen by SIE Worldwide Studios head Shawn Layden, a familiar face to PlayStation fans.

While it's too early for any specific announcements, Layden makes clear that PlayStation Productions' goal is to adapt the company's successful IP. Rather than shop that IP out to other studios, Layden says that it's better to, "develop and produce for ourselves." According to Layden, that's because Sony's the most familiar with the PlayStation IP and what the PlayStation community "loves" about it.

It's clear that this isn't just an experiment, either. Qizilbash and Layden have high aspirations for PlayStation Productions, with Layden describing Marvel's adaptation of comic books to be Sony's ideal for the unit. Qizilbash describes talking with Marvel producer Kevin Feige and Transformers producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura regarding the nature of the industry. Layden sees PlayStation Productions' adaptations as opportunities to create franchise "touch points" for video game players to visit after completing a game, between sequel releases as an example.

PlayStation Productions will be open to pursuing projects in film, television, and live streaming. There's no priority. Each individual project will have to be sorted on its own. Qizilbash says that, "story will determine the format," and that the goal is to best "honor" the property. Layden adds that no matter the medium, quality is paramount. No matter the project, "It has to stand up as a great movie or TV show."

It's unclear if Sony's plans for PlayStation Productions have been in place for some time or if the unit's creation is in reaction to something else. For example, the Uncharted film adaptation has notoriously been struggling in development for some time now. The Ratchet and Clank film adaptation, produced in part by Sony, struggled at the box office and had poor critical reception. There's plenty of room for improvement with Sony taking on all responsibility, and probably a lot less bureaucracy involved as well.

More from Sony and PlayStation Productions will be announced in the future as the unit's first projects begin taking shape, though that may be some time in the future.

Source: Hollywood Reporter