Stardew Valley is ripe for a movie adaptation, but its creator Eric Barone says he will only consider doing that with the right production partners.
Barone (aka ConcernedApe) confessed that he’s better off developing new games instead of expanding the Stardew Valley brand across other entertainment mediums. He confessed as much to IGN in an interview, “I’m just too protective of my IP to just hand it over to someone and say go ahead and make a Stardew Valley movie or whatever.” He also emphasized that any project would only push through under his supervision. “I would need to be closely involved with that,” he said. Although he made it clear he’s hesitant to work on an adaptation, he will still consider proposals if director David Lynch or Studio Ghibli is involved in the production.
“If Studio Ghibli approached me, I would probably say okay, let’s do it,” he admitted. “If David Lynch approached me and wanted to make a Stardew Valley movie, I would say go ahead, just do it.” It’s easy to imagine Stardew Valley adapted into a Studio Ghibli film, which can be a slice-of-life adaptation like Whisper of the Heart or a fantasy like The Cat Returns and Kiki’s Delivery Service. On the other hand, David Lynch seems to be an odd choice, his surreal works include the uncategorizable Eraserhead, Twin Peaks, and The Elephant Man. Barone likely has a concept pitch in mind, having handpicked ideal partners for the adaptations.
A Possible Stardew Valley Movie
The past few years have seen successful movie adaptations of game IPs like Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Mario, Pokémon, and Five Nights at Freddy’s, which was a confirmed success during its first weekend at the box office. It isn’t farfetched for Stardew Valley to enjoy the same, but only if the Harvest Moon-inspired RPG is properly developed for the right audiences. Barone admitted that a film adaptation would open up new possibilities for the franchise, but he also considered it odd to see his characters voice-acted and fleshed out in theaters.
Barone asserted his interest in developing and expandingStardew Valley. Aside from this, he’s also a consultant for a concert project celebrating the game’s music, Stardew Valley: Festival of Seasons, which is set to tour internationally in 2024.
Barone’s next game Haunted Chocolatier is currently in development with an unconfirmed release date.
Source: IGN
