Why a Red Dead Redemption Movie Shouldn’t Follow the Games
Given the increasing trend of TV and film industries adapting video games following successes such as HBO’s “The Last of Us,” it is surprising that there seems to be a consensus against adapting the Red Dead Redemption series. From a studio’s point of view, it would make sense to adapt the most successful games because they have the largest potential audience. However, there are several reasons why adapting the Red Dead franchise doesn’t seem feasible. The primary issue is the length of the games. As open-world RPGs, the narratives in these games can vary greatly depending on the player. Some players may rush through all optional missions and side quests, while others might spend hours exploring, hunting, and completing collectibles. In the case of Red Dead Redemption 2, even if Rockstar were to adapt it into a television series instead of a movie, it would be a daunting task to condense the narrative of the game due to its approximate 60-hour campaign length.