An animated film titled Gilgamesh is in development from the Latin American film studio Hook Up, with the Epic Games-supported Epic MegaGrants providing the funding. Epic Games will also be providing their Unreal Engine technology as the animation hub that the film will be created on. Unreal Engine has recently been used in both The Mandalorian and Westworld for the creation of virtual sets and visual experiences, which are both equal measures astonishing and believable.
According to Deadline, the film will follow the life, adventures, and tragedies of the legendary Gilgamesh, who served as the inspiration for the well-known stories Odyssey and Iliad. The main plot will be about Gilgamesh searching for immortality, his rocky relationship with frenemy Enkidu (which is reminiscent of the relationship between Frodo and Sam), and how this ancient Indiana Jones-like character became a demigod.
Epic Games taking its first foray into the world of feature films seems like the next logical step for the company, especially with all the photorealistic work their game engine has already provided to popular television shows. Having Unreal help others create content has allowed Epic to grow and create a multi-platform business, becoming more than just a video game and software development company. While an animated film like Gilgamesh that’s in the same vein as a Pixar film might not seem like a huge step, it’ll open more doors for them if the film is successful, which it most likely will be.
Source: Deadline