If at first you don't succeed, try again. Or, as is the case with Hollywood's attempt to make a high-quality video game movie, keep on trying no matter how many critically panned productions get churned out. Could a live-action version of Duke Nukem starring former WWE Champion John Cena break the long-running trend? According to the Hollywood Reporter, the ex-wrestler is in talks to play the politically incorrect hero.
While no director has been attached to the project, it is reportedly being produced by Platinum Dunes, the company run by Michael Bay, Andrew Form and Brad Fuller that was behind the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies and the Purge franchise. The Duke Nukem title is supposed to be a "starring vehicle" for Cena, and the search for a writer is now underway.
Duke Nukem 3D was incredibly popular when it was released back in 1996, but after fifteen years in development hell, the 2011 sequel, Duke Nukem Forever, was a disaster.
In all fairness, John Cena does sound like a good candidate for the role. Duke Nukem is seen as a bit of relic from another age these days, but the movie could play up to this fact in a comedic way. It's just a surprise that The Rock wasn't put forward for the part---maybe the awfulness that was Doom is still fresh in his mind.
No video game movie adaptations have received Rotten Tomato or Metacritic scores of over 50 percent, though international audiences often help boost their box office takings.
In other video game movie news, two new Tomb Raider TV spots have appeared ahead of its release in March.
And speaking of The Rock, check out the new trailer for Rampage, which is based on the 1986 arcade game.