Nintendo DS Becomes Movie Star

June 27, 2006, 1:58 pm EDT
Total comments: 29

The system will be used as a spy gadget in the upcoming movie Stormbreaker.

Stormbreaker Spy Film Will Feature the Ultimate Gadget: Nintendo DS

Video Game System Gets a Starring Role in Hit Series

REDMOND, Wash., June 27 /PRNewswire/ -- The hot-selling Nintendo DS(TM) will make its motion picture debut in the upcoming teen spy thriller Stormbreaker. Nintendo has signed an agreement with the film's producers that will turn the Nintendo DS into the ultimate spy gadget. Stormbreaker is based on the first in the popular Alex Rider series of books by Anthony Horowitz, which have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide.

After the murder of his uncle and guardian, the MI6 British spy agency recruits the reluctant 14-year-old Alex Rider to take over his uncle's mission. Like any good spy, during training he receives his key piece of gadgetry: a Hot Rod Red Nintendo DS. He also gets several game cards that transform his DS into an eavesdropping device, a wiretap detector or a smoke bomb.

"Along with writer Anthony Horowitz, we asked ourselves how the Secret Service would get secret tools into the hands of a 14-year-old spy," says Peter Samuelson, who, with his brother Marc, produced the film. "Nintendo DS is the perfect fit: Alex's spyware hides in plain sight. Audiences will be thrilled to see how it helps Alex get out of a host of heart-pounding predicaments."

Stormbreaker is scheduled for release in the United Kingdom on July 21 by Entertainment Film Distributors, in the United States on Oct. 6 by The Weinstein Company and worldwide from August by leading local distributors.

The film stars Alex Pettyfer as Alex Rider, with Sarah Bolger, Robbie Coltrane, Stephen Fry, Damian Lewis, Ewan McGregor, Bill Nighy, Sophie Okonedo, Missi Pyle, Andy Serkis, Alicia Silverstone, Ashley Walters and Mickey Rourke.

"The agreement is a perfect marriage of two hot entertainment properties," explains George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. "And while the Nintendo DS is one of the most versatile gaming systems available, we unfortunately have no plans to make any DS spy-related functions available to the general public."

Talkback

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorJune 27, 2006

This is like a late entry into the Alternate DS Lite use contest, right?

nickmitchJune 27, 2006

Not much news out there right now, eh?

ruby_onixJune 27, 2006

So the DS is spyware now? That's bad news for WiiConnect24.

Ian SaneJune 27, 2006

Wow. This movie sounds really retarded.

It'll no doubt be number one at the box office the weekend it opens.

sikboy1029June 27, 2006

WRONG, the DS was already in Firewall........good movie btw

KaironCarmine Red, Associate EditorJune 27, 2006

Too bad they couldn't get the DS Lite in the movie. I guess that the DS Phat's toy-like exterior is of more use to a child spy than the cool high-tech glow of the Lite.

~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

Guitar SmasherJune 27, 2006

Red? That's a silly colour for a 'spy gadget'.

ShyGuyJune 27, 2006

Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
Wow. This movie sounds really retarded.

It's no Fatal Bullet, that's for sure

Ian SaneJune 27, 2006

"It's no Fatal Bullet, that's for sure"

Well... nothing is.

I just realized that Nintendo missed out on a big marketing opportunity. They shouldn't use the red DS. They should make a new colour just for the film and then release it when the film comes out as the Official Stormbreaker DS.

KaironCarmine Red, Associate EditorJune 27, 2006

OH SNAP!

~Carmine M. Red
Kairon@aol.com

Guitar SmasherJune 27, 2006

Quote
Originally posted by: Ian Sane
"It's no Fatal Bullet, that's for sure"

Well... nothing is.

I just realized that Nintendo missed out on a big marketing opportunity. They shouldn't use the red DS. They should make a new colour just for the film and then release it when the film comes out as the Official Stormbreaker DS.

Nah, I think there's more risk that the Stormbreaker DS will be made fun of if the movie bombs (as it seems it will).

Jonnyboy117Jonathan Metts, Associate EditorJune 27, 2006

The movie was probably filmed last year, before the DS Lite was even announced.

Jin-XJune 27, 2006

It's nice to see that Nintendo's marketing is still as good as ever, I mean putting it in a kid spy movie, that's just brilliant.

RellikJune 27, 2006

Hey - that was my idea for the Alternate Use DS Lite Contest!

Shouldn't I win something for my idea getting made into a movie?

Seriously... please?

I promise to give away my old DS to someone in need of it... and you know you love my OCReMixes Check 'em out!

Hostile CreationJune 27, 2006

Kids will be disappointed when their DS can't shoot rockets.

ssj4_androidJune 27, 2006

Product placement sucks. They seriously put a press release out about paying someone to put the DS in a kids movie?

NephilimJune 27, 2006

product placement has been huge since MIB, rayban sales went up 400% after the first movie...
why moan... this is a good thing, kids movies may not be popular on the big screen, but paytv will repeat the movie over and over

mantidorJune 27, 2006

did something happen to ocrmix? theres only one remix for metroid prime, and I remember there were more.

KDR_11kJune 27, 2006

The Wizard pt.2.

I want a Black Ice DS that can give people brain damage over WiFi.

couchmonkeyJune 28, 2006

Ugh...hey if it sells the DS, then whatever, but this is just the kind of thing that makes Hollywood TEH CRUDNESS.

UltimatePartyBearJune 28, 2006

Quote
Originally posted by: Rellik

and you know you love my OCReMixes Check 'em out!

Actually, I do quite enjoy "Dreaming on Distant Shores," but I don't have a DS Lite to give you. Sorry.
(Not a Sonic fan, and this is the first I've seen the Zelda one. I'll check it out, as instructed.)

MarioJune 28, 2006

Quote
Originally posted by: Jin-X
It's nice to see that Nintendo's marketing is still as good as ever, I mean putting it in a kid spy movie, that's just brilliant.

It's not bad, If some idiot is sitting in the cinema making fun of it just remind him what movie he's watching. No-one else will even know.

JonLeungJune 28, 2006

Quote
Originally posted by: KDR_11k
The Wizard pt.2.

I was thinking about that. But instead of The Wizard II, call it The Wiizard. Super Mario Galaxy will be shown off, and in the climactic game-off, the whiz kid will discover a Warp Zone and get mucho points.

(While I worked at Playdium I was surprised to see Playdium featured in the Lindsay Lohan movie "Confessions Of A Teenage Drama Queen". Well, I saw the trailer. Not sure what compelled me to look at the trailer. Too bad it wasn't our Playdium location, though.)

The DS being in movies isn't that surprising...games have always been in movies, so why not a popular game system? The fact that this one is used prominently as a spy gadget in a kid's movie isn't really that surprising either.

Now if they were using the Wii in a big-budget Hollywood blockbuster...that'd be something.

Didn't they use the NES Advantage controller (or a NES controller very much like it) in Ghostbusters II? To control the slimed Statue Of Liberty?