Monster Hunter: World was somewhat of a surprise hit for Capcom (outside of Japan), becoming the video game developer's fastest-selling title, with 8 million copies shipped in the first 4 months.
In an effort to keep the Monster Hunter momentum going, Capcom has announced that they're teaming with Pure Imagination Studios for a Monster Hunter 3D animated special, titled Monster Hunter: Legends of the Guild. This news comes after the reveal that a live-action Monster Hunter film is currently set to be directed by Paul WS Anderson (of Resident Evil fame) and star his wife, Mila Jovovich (also of Resident Evil fame).
A press release recounts the story as following "a brave young man determined to prove himself as a monster hunter worthy of recognition. His chance will come all too soon when he discovers that his remote village lies in the path of an Elder Dragon-a veritable force of nature made flesh."
Video game sleuths have already deduced that based on the concept art, the special could be retelling the story of the commander from 2013's Monster Hunter 4.
Monster Hunter Series Producer, Ryozo Tsujimoto also added via press release, "We are thrilled to return fans to the universe of “Monster Hunter” and expand the series’ rich lore. We think die-hard fans will appreciate our dedication to the source material while those uninitiated to the series will still be treated to an epic adventure in a wholly unique world."
The project was written by Ultimate Spider-Man's Joshua Fine and is slated for global release in 2019.
At Pure Imagination, we focus on building content driven eco-systems and experiences that can live across multiple platforms of engagement,” said John P. Roberts, Chief Content Officer, Pure Imagination Studios. “With Monster Hunter, our talented and diverse group of animators, storytellers and producers, who have created content for LEGO, Marvel and Star Wars, are collaborating with Capcom to create a powerful and engaging story universe to serve its enormous global fanbase,” he continued.