Neill Blomkamp is one of Hollywood’s best sci-fi directors, so it’s only fitting that EA has brought on the man responsible for the likes of
District 9,
Elysium, and
Chappie to helm a short live-action film inspired by one of this year’s biggest sci-fi games,
Anthem.
Announced today, the Academy Award-nominated director has collaborated with EA and developer BioWare to help bring to life the vast world of
Anthem. The short film, titled
Conviction, is set decades before the beginning of the game.
Anthem, of course, takes players to an intriguing new world filled with mystery, excitement, and danger. Players (aka Freelancers) will don powerful Javelin exosuits to explore this world alongside friends, meeting new characters and uncovering what promises to be a unique BioWare story.
“I was really blown away by this incredible world BioWare created the very first time I saw Anthem,” said Neill Blomkamp.
“Conviction sets the stage with a narrative that touches on Anthem’s beautiful and immersive world, which is ripe for exploration by these powerful Javelins. A world where danger is lurking on every ledge and in each valley.”
A short teaser for
Conviction was released today offering a glimpse of Blomkamp’s
“unique style of creating photorealistic visual effects and bringing them seamlessly into the real world.”
In the short, people will see the player city of Fort Tarsis in the game come to life, and the freelancers that live within it. These freelancers who use Javelin exosuits, have been re-created by Neill’s team to show them in live action as they fight off the main villain and head of the evil Dominion faction, the Monitor.
Conviction will be released on February 14 on the Oats Studios YouTube channel.
Meanwhile,
Anthem is set to launch worldwide on February 22 for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. Origin Access Premiere members can enjoy the full game a week early starting on February 15, while EA Access (Xbox One) and Origin Access Basic members will get a 10-hour Play First Trial starting that same day.