'Ratchet and Clank' New Movie, New Game Release Date and News

Mar 14, 2016 02:56 PM EDT

You might need to be a gamer to have heard of Ratchet and Clank, but it is a science fiction action-oriented platforming game that has been around since 2002 with the days of the PlayStation 2.  The adventurous duos are on the cusp of becoming a household name as a film adaptation of the game is headed to theaters late next month.  There is also going to be a "re-imagining" of Ratchet and Clank with a new game that is a remake of the first game, with some essential changes.  This is what is currently known about the Ratchet and Clank movie and game. 

Engadget reports that Insomniac Games has released a new version of Ratchet and Clank which is essentially the old game.  It isn't just a port of the game to a new console, but it is an avoidance of the "quick-and-dirty nostalgia grab".  The company is using everything that it's learned in 14 years to create a re-working of the original complete with better graphics, bigger worlds, and more to see and do in the storyline of the game. 

The re-imagined Ratchet and Clank video game is based partially on the movie, which is due in theaters on April 29.  There is a preview of it below, and this is the official summary of the film according to GameStop

"Two unlikely heroes struggle to stop a vile alien named Chairman Drek from destroying every planet in the Solana Galaxy. Ratchet is the last of his kind, a foolhardy 'lombax' who has grown up alone on a backwater planet with no family of his own. Clank is a pint-sized robot with more brains than brawn. When the two stumble upon a dangerous weapon capable of destroying entire planets, they must join forces with a team of colorful heroes called The Galactic Rangers in order to save the galaxy. Along the way, they will learn about heroism, friendship, and the importance of discovering one's own identity."

The Ratchet and Clank movie certainly has no shortage of talent in its voice casting as it includes Sylvester Stallone, Paul Giamatti, Rosario Dawson, John Goodman, and Bella Thorne.  The trailer looks promising for an outer-space comedy with a family-friendly feel, which might work well for audiences who have praised recent CG films like last January's Kung Fu Panda 3 and the hit Zootopia

The sad truth is that films based on video games have a history of failure, as the only ones that have made money are the Mortal Kombat and Tomb Raider series, but these films were by no means hailed by critics.  It is possible that Ratchet and Clank could break this video game movie curse.