After 2005’s Doom bombed hard at the box office, the video game franchise has largely stayed away from the medium of film, but if Resident Evil can yield at least six commercially successful features, then there’s no reason to think that its fellow action-horror property doesn’t have at least one profitable movie in it.
Enter Doom: Annihilation, which has set itself the more modest goal of a direct-to-video release, and is headed for small screens some time in the fall. To tease the Aliens-style action that’s in store, Bloody Disgusting has premiered a new trailer, and sadly, the response so far isn’t looking too promising, with many criticizing the low-budget look and the questionable dialogue. Still, 30 seconds isn’t a lot to base to a judgment on, and anything as no-frills in its demonic action as this movie looks to be is bound to find some kind of audience.
A few days ago, Universal also released an official synopsis for the film, which suggests a pure slice of back-to-basics action:
“Doom: Annihilation follows a group of space marines as they respond to a distress call from a base on a Martian moon, only to discover it’s been overrun by demonic creatures who threaten to create Hell on Earth.”
Leading the charge in the new movie is Amy Manson of Atlantis fame as Joan Dark. She’ll be joined by Dominic Mafham (Ophelia) as Dr. Betruger and Luke Allen-Gale (Dominion) as Bennett Stone. On writing and directing duties is Tony Giglio, whose credits can also be found on the Death Race sequels and Resident Evil: Afterlife.
That’s two properties that have previously had Paul W.S. Anderson attached, and going by the new teaser, Giglio seems to be aiming for something in a similar vein to the director’s Resident Evil pictures. We’ll find out if Doom: Annihilation can launch a sustainable series of its own when it comes to home video later in the year.