Greetings, Stardew Valley aficionados! Put down your watering cans and pickaxes; we’ve got something juicy. You may want to sit down for this one because a Stardew Valley movie could very well be a thing. Don’t believe me? Well, IGN recently had a chit-chat with Eric Barone, aka ConcernedApe, the creator of Stardew Valley.
The Man Behind the Valley
Let’s get this straight. ConcernedApe isn’t just handing over his brainchild to any random Hollywood schmuck. He’s as protective of Stardew Valley as we are of our most prized cauliflower crops. “I’m just too protective of my IP to just hand it over to someone and say go ahead and make a Stardew Valley movie or whatever,” he said in the IGN interview. So relax, our virtual farming utopia is in safe hands.
The Unlikely Duos: Studio Ghibli & David Lynch?
ConcernedApe isn’t entirely closed off to the idea of a movie, but he has some rather…specific conditions. Think Studio Ghibli or David Lynch. Yes, you read that right. Our gentle farming simulator could either be a whimsical Studio Ghibli masterpiece or an avant-garde David Lynch mind-bender. Can you imagine Junimos illustrated by Hayao Miyazaki or bizarre plot twists à la Twin Peaks in Pelican Town? Mind. Blown.
The Risks and the Prospects
Barone acknowledges that transitioning Stardew Valley to the movie format presents risks, especially when giving beloved pixelated characters voices. Trust me, I have a hard time imagining what raspy tone suits the Wizard or what accent Sebastian would have. But if there’s a possibility for some major storytelling wins here, why not take it?
The Trend of Video Game Cinematics
It’s not like we’re in uncharted territory. (See what I did there? Because of the Uncharted movie? Nevermind.) Video game-based movies have been rolling out steadily, ranging from Super Mario to Detective Pikachu. We’ve got Metal Gear Solid, Borderlands, and Bioshock on the movie dockets too. So, a Stardew Valley movie isn’t outside the realm of possibility.
To Develop or Not to Develop
Despite the movie ideas, Barone also hinted that his time might be better spent on developing more games. Fair point. His next game, Haunted Chocolatier, is still shrouded in mystery, just like any good Willy Wonka chocolate factory should be. And let’s not forget about the upcoming Stardew Valley: Festival of Seasons concert tour. So the man’s got a full plate.
So what’s it gonna be, ConcernedApe? Are we getting a Stardew Valley movie, or should we just keep daydreaming about it between harvests? Only time will tell. But if you’re a Studio Ghibli or David Lynch rep reading this, you know what to do.
Alright folks, what do you think of a potential Stardew Valley movie? Would you sell your golden pumpkins for a ticket? Let us know in the comments below! If you’re keen on diving into more geeky goodness, check out All Ages of Geek’s Patreon for more exclusive content.
