BuzzFeed Studios has announced a new film about the world of competitive gaming that will star Ellen Page, among others. The movie is going to be an underdog story aboutesportsand feature some topics that are seen as controversial in the industry.
Ellen Page is famous for both her acting in TV and movies likeJuno, and also her appearance as the voice and face of the main character from the gameBeyond: Two Souls, which was recently released on Steam. She’s teaming up with actress Paris Berelc and director Kyle Newman to bring gaming fans the new gaming movie1Up.
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Written by Julia Yorks (a writer onSkylanders AcademyandThe Adventures of Puss in Boots),1Upis an ode to the underdogs of esports. When main character Vivian Lee (played by Paris Berelc) gets fed up with her sexist esports team, she builds an all-girl group of misfits for the sport to ensure the continuation of her scholarship.
Neflix’s top-ratedThe Umbrella Academy’s actressEllen Page plays a coach who has experienced sexism trouble in her gaming past. She and the team have to build up their skills in order to compete. The movie has been described as “being in the vein of Pitch Perfect but set in the world of esports.”
Director Kyle Newman is known for features likeFanboysandBarleyLethalas well as several Taylor Swift music videos.1Upwill be the first full-length movie produced by BuzzFeed who is looking to create more high-concept films that are relevant to issues important to both millennial and Gen Z generations. With someesports expanding into High Schools withOverwatch, the platform is likely to continue supporting feature films in the future.
The movie will cover subjects that one wouldn’t associate with a comedy, like GamerGate and sexism in gaming. After stories like thebig lawsuit against UbiSoft for sexism, some would argue that a more sensitive approach is needed. Nevertheless, it’s not worth judging the film until more details or a trailer are revealed, but currently, the response from gamers has been mostly negative.
Production for the movie is expected to begin this month in Toronto. There is no slated release date as of now, but the earliest anyone can expect to see1Upin theaters would most likely be Q4 of 2021.
