MoviesOnline is reporting that Michael Bay has been tapped to direct Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Having played (and beaten!) this particular game I can tell you it could be a very good movie, but I’m definitely concerned about the possible addition of Bay. The Prince of Persia, as a franchise, is based upon nuance. It doesn’t have a ton of explosions. Someone like Gore Verbinski would have been a much better choice in my opinion. Prince of Persia is far more like Pirates than it is Bad Boys or Pearl Harbor. It’s a softer story, full of adventure but not the crazy aggro action that Bay is better at.
Now, I do think Michael Bay would make an excellent choice for something like God of War, another video game series that’s been optioned. God of War is dark and brooding, but also full of blood and fire. This would play to Bay’s strengths, a big film with huge effects.
Prince of Persia is an epic story that’s going to take a ton of work and I hope Bay is up to it. He’s capable of great stuff but it’s been quite a bit since he’s evidenced that potential. I’m already scared enough by the clips I’ve seen from Transformers, here’s hoping Bay is up for an even more fantasy based tale.
