Samus Aran is star of the Metroid series, one of Nintendo’s most iconic action heroes, and one of our favourite kickass female characters in gaming. To be honest, it’s surprising she hasn’t had a live-action stint before now. A group of fans from the non-profit production studio Rainfall Films have turned Samus’ adventures in Metroid into a 70s sci-fi inspired live-action adventure as part of their “Fantasy Filmmaking” project.
Metroid: The Sky Calls revolves around Samus Aran, played by Jessica Chobot of The Nerdist and motion captured by America Young from Halo 5, on one of her space exploration adventures, inspired more by the original Metroid rather than Metroid Prime, according to the production company’s website. This means more of a focus on atmosphere than pure action, with the group saying that “director Sam Balcomb chose to incorporate a style more in tune with the types of films that inspired the first Metroid game in 1986, favoring exploration and isolation over action spectacle.”
There’s still action in the 11 minute short, though, and it’s actually quite impressive, showing off Samus’ Arm Cannon and some excellent special effects.
This isn’t the first time Rainfall Films have turned a Nintendo game into a live-action adventure; they made a Legend of Zelda film teaser a few years ago. The group emphasise that the short was created solely out of love for the franchise and that it’s not endorsed by Nintendo. This short film is absolutely worth watching:
Main Image via YouTube