Devil May Cry Showrunner Believes Most Future Game Adaptations Will Be "Cringe"

The video game adaptation industry is experiencing another boom. After the success of Fallout, Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Mario, and other projects, major studios are literally lining up for new franchises. Films and TV series based on Call of Duty, The Legend of Zelda, Elden Ring, God of War, Metal Gear Solid, Helldivers, Battlefield, It Takes Two, and dozens of other series are in development. However, Adi Shankar, the showrunner of the animated Devil May Cry, is confident that most of this boom will end in failures or cancellations.

In an interview with GamesRadar+, Shankar stated that "most video game adaptations will be cringe." According to him, the problem lies in the corporate approach to franchises. Successful game series eventually transform from authorial works into managed brands: they are handled by corporations, brand managers, and numerous stakeholders, and the connection with the people who created these worlds is gradually lost.

Shankar is also skeptical of "literal" adaptations. In his opinion, if the industry continues to treat games like novels that need to be mechanically transferred to the screen, viewers will quickly tire of monotonous adaptations.

His approach to Devil May Cry reflects his position. Shankar is building his own universe from recognizable elements and enjoys complete creative freedom granted to him by Capcom and Netflix.

The second season of Devil May Cry will premiere on May 12.