Rainmaker Entertainment, who earlier this year brought us Escape from Planet Earth, has joined forces with indie production company Blockade Entertainment to produce a stereoscopic CG theatrical feature based on the hit PlayStation videogame franchise, Ratchet and Clank. The games, first released in 2002, are published by Sony Computer Entertainment America and developed by Insomniac Games. Primary production has begun at Rainmaker’s Vancouver studio.
Due for an early 2015 release, the film will be directed by Jericca Cleland and produced by Blockade CEO Brad Foxhoven and VP of development David Wohl, with Rainmaker president Michael Hefferon as exec producer and Kim Dent Wilder and Kylie Ellis as supervising producer and producer. Key talent from the game will reprise their roles for the film, including James A. Taylor as Ratchet, David Kaye as Clank and Jim Ward as Qwark. Insomniac senior writer TJ Fixman wrote the screenplay.
Ratchet and Clank tells the story of two unlikely heroes as they struggle to stop a vile alien named Chairman Drek from destroying every planet in the Solana Galaxy. Ratchet is the last of his kind – a foolhardy “lombax” who has grown up alone on a backwater planet with no family of his own. Clank is a pint-sized robot with more brains than brawn. When the two stumble upon a dangerous weapon capable of destroying entire planets, they must join forces with a team of colorful heroes called The Galactic Rangers in order to save the galaxy. Along the way they’ll learn about heroism, friendship, and the importance of discovering one’s own identity.
Co-financing was arranged by Film Financial Services (FFS) and includes Rainmaker as the lead investor along with China’s CNHK – part of the Wanda family of companies.