Highlights
- The Stray movie adaptation should respect the game's decision to have a silent protagonist, as it adds to the character's allure and charm.
- It is crucial for the movie to maintain the immersive and stunning animation style of the game, in order to capture the same experience on the big screen.
- The movie should focus solely on the world of the stray cat and avoid including humans in the story, as fans want to see the world through the cat's perspective.
The Stray movie adaptation is officially happening, and fans of the immersive video game are waiting with bated breath to see if Annapurna Animation do right by it. The video game was a massive success when it was released in 2022, and it hasn't taken long for the movie version to be announced.
It's clear to see why the decision has been made to take it to the big screen, as players were impressed at how cinematic it feels as they assume the role of a stray cat who navigates around a city full of machines and robots. The unconventional protagonist must avoid the Zurks and Sentinels who try their best to kill them, so the movie is sure to include these antagonists in the narrative.
Don't Let The Stray Cat Talk
One of the major elements of the Stray game is that the cat doesn't talk, and the movie version must respect this decision if it is to succeed. It will be difficult to create a movie where the protagonist doesn't talk, but it has been done before in successful animated movies like Wall-E. Apart from a few little computer-generated noises and words, Wall-E primarily doesn't speak in the 2008 Disney Pixar hit, and it makes the character all the more adorable.
Players are used to controlling the cat in Stray as if it were a real cat, and making it talk in the big screen version will only cheapen the franchise as a whole. There could be some hints of the stray cat having a name, but again, it's probably best to stick to the source material, and keep things mysterious. This could almost appear like the stray cat is a Clint Eastwood-type stranger in a Spaghetti western, rolling into town, saying very little, and having no name.
Keep The Animation Similar to the game
The graphics in the Stray game are so immersive and stunning, it would be a false move for Annapurna Animation Studios to change the style of it for the movie version. The fact that it's the same company making the movie, that were involved in the production of the game, it's highly unlikely they will do that.
However, many adaptations of successful video games have changed the look of the source material with disastrous consequences for their franchises. It's encouraging that it's been confirmed that the Stray movie is going to be an animation as a live-action version just wouldn't work. Here's hoping they re-create the look of the game on the big screen.
Don't include humans in the story
As much as the Stray game is actually a story about what makes people human, it's important that the movie follows the game in not actually featuring any humans. The movie should primarily focus on the world of the stray cat, with the inclusion of a robot sidekick to act as a buddy comedy of sorts.
The fans want to see the world through the eyes of the stray cat, so humans should strictly not be involved. From what the producers have said so far, they don't intend on including any humans in the narrative, but Hollywood has changed its mind before.
Don't do a sequel to the game
The fans want to see a re-creation of the game they enjoyed playing when it was released in 2022, so the movie must not decide to do a movie sequel to the game as that would ruin it. Also, a lot of new fans will come to this franchise when it is turned into a movie, and they don't want to come out of the cinema scratching their heads, wondering what on earth was going on in the story.
Of course, the movie should include some quirky little Easter eggs for fans of the game to enjoy, but nothing that would take away from telling a story that appeals to new and old fans alike. There has been a lot of talk about a sequel to the video game and this is bound to happen, especially if the movie does well, and if and when it does happen, Annapurna animation will have another game to adapt into a movie.
Keep the HopePunk Elements Alive
A big part of the Stray video game is the deep HopePunk story subgenre, and the movie adaptation really needs to stay true to this. Hopepunk is a subgenre of speculative fiction, and it was originally brought about as the opposite to Grimdark.
Hopepunk is all about characters who are fighting for positive change in the world, and kindness to one another, whilst acting as a joint response to big challenges faced. These are the kind of themes that are vital to the video game, and would fit very well in the movie version. However, the movie will naturally try to appeal to very young children and the danger is that the creative team behind it might brush aside the Hopepunk aspect in favor of more child-friendly themes. This would be a big mistake, and is bound to irritate fans of the video game if they do this.