It Takes Two is being adapted for film and TV - and we have mixed feelings
Josef Fares' game about divorce is set for the screen
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It Takes Two, last year’s big co-op gaming success story, is being adapted for film and TV, according to an exclusive report.
As reported byVariety, developer Hazelight Studios has teamed up with production company dj2 Entertainment to bring the game to both the silver screen and small screen.
“Creating the world and story in It Takes Two was so much fun for me and the team,” developer Hazelight’s founder, Josef Fares, told Variety. “Since it has a strong narrative with many crazy characters and just as crazy co-op action moments, the potential is huge for a great adaption to film or television.”
dj2 Entertainment specializes in adapting games for film and TV, with the company previously working on the Sonic the Hedgehog film. Currently, dj2 has quite a few game adaptions in the works, including TV shows on Disco Elysium, Tomb Raider and Life is Strange and a Sleeping Dogs feature film. It makes sense, then, that the writers behind the Sonic the Hedgehog film, Pat Casey and Josh Miller, are currently attached to the project.
Currently, no studio or network is attached to the It Takes Two adaptions but, according to Variety’s sources, it is currently “the subject of a multi-party bidding war”.
Opinion: but will it actually work?
Hazelight’s It Takes Two released to critical acclaim in 2021, even scooping upThe Game Awards 2021Game of the Year accolade - and it’s not hard to see why.
It Takes Two tells the story of Cody and Rose who are on track to get a divorce - but to the dismay of their daughter, Rose. After some magic goings-on, the couple find themselves embodying two of Rose’s handmade dolls and have no choice but to work together to reach their daughter so they can undo whatever has happened – all while taking relationship advice from an anthropomorphic therapy book that’s determined to get them back together.
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It Takes Two is a fun, tongue-in-cheek adventure that has elements that appeal to both gamers and non-gamers alike. It’s easily one of thebest co-op gamesof all time, taking elements from a variety of different games and intertwining them in a rom-com-like narrative.
But while It Takes Two is great fun to play, we’re not quite sure how well its story will translate to the screen. Perhaps the weakest element of the game was, in fact, its writing and narrative, which were often too on-the-nose and cheesy (don’t even get me started on howroboticthe couple’s daughter Rose was).Sure, Sonic the Hedgehog writers are attached to adapt the game into scripts, but those movies aren’t exactly going to be winning a Pultizer anytime soon - and there’s only so much you can do with what’s quite a basic story.
That being said, if the film and TV adaptions focus on the fun, tongue-in-cheek elements of It Takes Two - while adding a bit more depth to the story itself - then the adaptions could become a success, especially among children (whom it’s likely the adaptations will be aimed at). I could easily see a series where Rose and Cody set off on a new adventure each episode in a bid to improve their relationship or a film where the levels we played in the game itself instead become action we watch play out on screen.
I’m cautiously optimistic for now, but perhaps we could see the man who famously said “F*** the Oscars” picking one up in the future.
An award-winning games journalist, with seven years of experience in games journalism and a degree in journalism from City University, London, Vic brings experience from IGN, Eurogamer, The Telegraph, VG247, Dot Esports and more to the TechRadar table. You may have even heard her on the radio or speaking on a panel, as she’s previously appeared on BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5, BBC Radio Ulster and more. Not only is Vic passionate about games, but she’s appeared on both panels and podcasts to discuss mental health awareness. Make sure to follow her on Twitter for more.
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