Summary
As Netflix shows no signs of slowing down with its gaming adaptations, it should set its sights on givingDead Spacethe same anime treatment thatCastlevaniahas received as the two series share various parallels and ultimately could provide a sci-fi alternative to the vampire fantasy. Between Netflix’s initial four seasons ofCastlevaniaand now its most recent spin-offCastlevania: Nocturne, the anime adaptations have already drawn inspiration from acrossCastlevania’s timeline of stories and charactersfrom Alucard to Richter Belmont. WhileCastlevania: Nocturneended on a cliffhanger ahead of its second season, Netflix may find it difficult to keep up this momentum withCastlevaniaalone.
But while Netflix has announced a breadth of different video game adaptations in recent years both live-action and animated, it’s difficult to know whether these projects are still in progress or are stuck in development. For instance, despite announcing thatCastlevania’s producer Adi Shankar had acquired the rights to makeaDevil May Cryanimated seriesseveral years ago, Netflix has only recently revealed a teaser of the upcoming show. So to offer something different other than two video game series centered around monster hunting and demon-slaying, aDead Spaceanime could be a novel contender for Netflix’s growing library of adaptations.
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When Netflix releasedCastlevania’s first series, it felt more like a pilot trial run as it consisted of just three episodes that just about established its main cast of characters while alluding to a bigger story to come. Yet between its unflinching embrace of violence and gore, dry quick-witted dialogue, and the characters' begrudging friendships,Castlevaniabecame one of Netflix’s various celebrated gaming adaptations. These same qualities, however, would also be right at home withDead Space,especially for a game series whosecursed premise involves dismembering Necromorphsalongside shocking moments such asDead Space 2’s “stick a needle in your eye” scene.
But whileDead Spaceis a far cry from the magical fantasy landscapes that games likeCastlevaniaandDevil May Crycome from, the sci-fi series still has supernatural parallels that a similar anime could draw from. Thelore behindDead Space’s Necromorphs, Markers, Unitologists, and Brethren Moons offers many creative options that a new anime could use as a stepping stone from fantasy to sci-fi, especially when Shankar claims to be gradually building a “bootleg universe” that such an anime could be a part of. Through the same lensCastlevaniaused for its own characters and stories,Dead Spaceseems like a natural addition to Netflix’s roster.
While many players were likely already aware ofDead Space’s twist in the first game regarding protagonist Isaac Clarke and his wife, the recently released remake will have inevitably refreshed everyone’s memory. So should aDead Spaceanime attempt to directly adapt Isaac’s story just asCastlevaniahas with Trevor and Richter Belmont and Alucard, then it could instead take a different approach and provide a different perspective on the broaderDead Spacestory.Dead Space 2, for example, already leans on the first game’s story and continues Isaac’s hallucinations without needing a twist reveal.
How faithful toDead Space’s sci-fi horror blueprintits anime adaptation would be remains to be seen. Still, the series hasn’t shied away from exploring the larger canonical universe as seen withDead Space: AftermathandDead Space: Downfall. So in the same way thatCastlevaniatook its own interpretation of the game’s characters from Saint Germain to Richter’s mother Julia Belmont,Dead Spacecould add, remove, or reinterpret the source material, such as expanding the story beyondDead Space 3’s cliffhanger ending. Moreover, there’s even potential forDead Space’s own Infinite Corridor cameos afterCastlevaniateased visions of alien worlds with blood-red moons and giant space-age machines.
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