Anthony Mackie returns to the world of vehicle combat in Season 2 of Twisted Metal, the streaming series adaptation of Sony’s video game franchise, premiering this week on Peacock. His role as John Doe might give him a unique perspective on game adaptations: He said there is a “shortage” of new ideas in Hollywood. which is why some companies are leveraging established intellectual property with built-in audiences for the best chance at getting a return on investment.
“To be honest, I think there’s a shortage of fresh and new ideas [in Hollywood],” Mackie told GameSpot during a trip to Twisted Metal’s set ahead of Season 2. “I think there’s so many people who are unwilling to go out on a limb and try something different and creative. So now it’s just like, ‘We need established IP.’ So the IP part of it, I think, is a big sell.
“You know, people in this business, we don’t want to see if something works. We want something with an already built-in audience. So if it doesn’t work, we can go to our boss and say, ‘Hey, it was justified,’ so the Mouse [Disney] can’t fire you. So it’s kind of … it’s just what the business has turned into.”