Francis Ford Coppola starts Kickstarter campaign for ‘Apocalypse Now’ survival horror game
The psychological terror of Apocalypse Now is in development for the video game world, thanks to a Kickstarter campaign.
American Zoetrope, the American film studio founded by Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas, has partnered with leaders in the gaming industry to put a survival horror spin (à la early Resident Evil and Silent Hill) on the 1979 war film starring Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen, and Robert Duvall. The production team has decided to step away from a AAA game studio to produce the project, and instead are seeking support through Kickstarter, with an initial goal of $900,000.
“Forty years ago, I set out to make a personal art picture that could hopefully influence generations of viewers for years to come. Today, I’m joined by new daredevils, a team who want to make an interactive version of Apocalypse Now, where you are Captain Benjamin Willard amidst the harsh backdrop of the Vietnam War,” said Coppola in a statement. “I’ve been watching video games grow into a meaningful way to tell stories, and I’m excited to explore the possibilities for Apocalypse Now for a new platform and a new generation.”
That team includes Rob Auten (a lead writer for Gears of War, Battlefield, and Far Cry), executive producer and director Lawrence Liberty (Fallout: New Las Vegas and The Witcher), Wasteland 2 and Torment: Tides of Numenera lead producer Montgomery Markland, and Fallout: New Las Vegas director Josh Sawyer.
Early backers will receive special material prior to the release, such as Lt. Col. Wm. Kilgore’s “Airmobile” surfboard and iconic, “not a jack in the whole bunch” death cards. Additional tiers of backers will have the opportunity to play with the development team and offer critical feedback.
The pre-release backer material is expected to launch in 2019, coinciding with the film’s 40th anniversary, and have an official full-game launch in 2020.
