Margot Robbie and husband Tom Ackerley set to produce The Sims movie as they aim to have an ‘impact’ similar to her hit Barbie
Six months after it was first reported that Margot Robbie and her husband Tom Ackerley were producing the film The Sims, the news has now been confirmed.
Electronic Arts (EA), the company that published the long-running video game franchise, officially announced the project on Tuesday, according to Variety.
Robbie and Acklerley, both 34, will produce through their production company LuckyChap Productions, while Kate Herron (Loki) will direct the film.
Herron will also co-write the script with Briony Redman (Doctor Who), but no production schedule or release date has yet been announced.
Kate Gorman, vice president and general manager of The Sims franchise at EA, said on Tuesday that they want this film to have the same “impact” as Robbie’s mega-hit Barbie.
Six months after it was first reported that Margot Robbie and her husband Tom Ackerley were producing the film The Sims, the news has been confirmed
Electronic Arts (EA), the company that published the long-running video game franchise, officially announced the project on Tuesday, according to Variety
Kate Gorman, vice president and general manager of EA’s Sims franchise, revealed on Tuesday that they want this film to have the same “impact” as Robbie’s mega-hit Barbie
What I can tell you is that it is very much rooted in the Sims universe. “And what we want is a really authentic ‘Sims’ experience that we can bring to the theater,” Gorman said.
“So what you’ll see from us is that we wanted to do this right. We wanted the right partners and to make an impact on the scale of something like a Barbie movie is exactly what we want,” Gorman added.
Barbie, which starred Robbie and which she produced through her company LuckyChap, topped the domestic ($636.2 million) and global ($1.445 billion) box office charts last year.
Like Barbie, The Sims is rooted in an iconic franchise. The first video game was released in 2000 and has since sold over 200 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time.
The Sims is described as a “sandbox” game where players create virtual people called Sims and build lives for them
Gorman continued, “And we know there’s so much love and nostalgia, probably more than we realize, for The Sims and that so many people like us have been playing it for generations.”
“We want this to be an experience that reflects the great history and the game of so many people around the world, but that you can also share with other generations and that is part of pop culture and culturally relevant,” Gorman said.
“By teaming up with renowned Hollywood powerhouses, this exciting new chapter for The Sims will bring its magic to millions of fans,” said Laura Miele, president of EA Entertainment.
“What I will tell you is that it’s very much rooted in The Sims universe. And what we want is a really authentic ‘Sims’ experience that’s brought to a theatrical release,” Gorman said.
“So what you’ll see from us is that we wanted to do this right. We wanted the right partners and to make an impact on the scale of something like a Barbie movie is exactly what we want,” Gorman added.
“By teaming up with renowned Hollywood powerhouses, this exciting new chapter for The Sims will bring its magic to millions more fans,” said Laura Miele, president of EA Entertainment.
“It’s a testament to the enduring power of this beloved franchise, which has captivated more than 500 million players for a quarter century,” she added.
“Our commitment to innovating in the world of The Sims across experiences and products will inspire all generations of Simmers,” she concluded.
Gorman added that the film will be: ““very much rooted in the Sims universe,” adding, “a“We want a truly authentic ‘Sims’ experience that we’re bringing to a theatrical release,” though EA representatives later made it clear that release plans are not yet final.
“You’ll see a lot of The Sims universe come to life and you’ll see a lot of the classic experiences that our players have in the games come to life in the film,” Gorman said.
‘And that’s what we really want to deliver, is just an authentic Sims experience, and really have the most expansive Sims offering that we’ve ever had to bring that fun and share the experience of playing The Sims with as many people or their friends or families who may not have actually played The Sims, but you can help tell that story by having a [movie] “About the Sims universe,” Gorman said.