As someone who has a giant soft spot in her heart for Duke, what story is there to tell?
Duke Nukem is a simple man. He’s here to fuck up alien bastards(for taking the babes, crashing his ride, generally existing), save attractive women, and maybe remember to pick up that pack of gum on his way home.
He’s not really even a “character”, he’s a walking embodiment of 80s and 90s machismo with big guns and less plot than the typical comic book of the time. He’s a machine built for one-liners. He’s a never-ending thoughtless action flick you love because it takes so little actual thought to enjoy.
This same person also made Captain lazerhawk: a blood dragon remix, which was absolutely one of the most unhinged things I have ever seen. An unholy mashup of random Ubisoft characters and references from over the decades, thrown into this dystopic sci-fi plot without any regard for sanity.
I really need to just sit down and watch that. I keep seeing either “It’s insane, but absolutely great” or “It’s absolute dogshit”, and that’s the kinda shit I normally dig.
If they can turn something out with Duke that feels like Duke, I’m down, I’ll support it. He just feels like the most out of left field character to bring back, especially as something outside of a game.
When Gearbox got the rights, I was sure Duke was going to show up in Borderlands, because thats basically the perfect place to put a relic of a character like that.
Have him do the 80s macho-man thing as a side character, and then contrast how much things have changed in the last 30 years for comedy.
There is no story that you could tell with Duke as the main character that wouldn’t feel like it was a script written in 1998 just rotting in a warehouse somewhere.
I have wanted to see him interact with Sal in some capacity for the longest time. I feel like there could be at least some “a better you” gags on Duke.
A movie from '93. Which, I believe, influenced what is probably the most recognizable Duke outing, Duke 3D.
That’s kinda part of the point I’m making. Duke is a product of that time, of shallow action flicks with beefy dudes and solid one-liners, often with a little sexism tossed in for spice.
But wasn’t the point of Last Action Hero that „shallow action flicks with beefy dudes and solid one-liners“ are a thing of the past? If it was an influence on Duke 3D, it didn’t retain any of this notion. Video games are a generation behind, maybe it could work again.
And Duke has kinda proven that. 3D has had multiple ports, some better than others, but barely anyone talks about the 2D GBA titles, and Forever will forever be a rotting flop.
The last big commercial success was at an end of an era, at best becoming an archaic parody of a branch of the industry no longer really made, at worst an uncomfortable artifact of a bygone era of entertainment.
In a very strange reboot of Johnny Bravo, who was a much more positive parody of characters like Duke Nukem. Duke is written as the stereotype who’d bag 'em, tag 'em, and jet to the next bed.
Right. A Duke Nukem movie is impossible in the same way a Baywatch movie was, but that turned out pretty fun and…well…less offensive than expected…?
I don’t think it’s a particularity great idea, but I like to imagine that it’s possible for a Duke Nukem film to keep what’s fun without being as cringe as the original.
If nothing else, the original games were just “Mario had a gun now.”
In the actual time of Duke’s peak, absolutely. Hell, with a clever writer and director team, I would support a low-budget tongue-in-cheek flick.
But Duke is heavily a product of the times. I just can’t see a full take that wouldn’t rip out what makes him iconic, but equally terrible, as a character.
Yes, but it’s a very good character & world/lore to build a story + the games themselves have a ton of situationally epic things in them to include or even build around them.
(If Duke doesn’t shit up the throat of a decapitated alien we riot.)
And tho there is more lore, it’s not like Castlevania and DMC are directly screen-playable, but they did a fairly good job (there are better showrunners in the genre, but I think Duky Nuky fits the chill & just barely enough complicated/just over the border of simplistic vibe of DMC show, and I’m sure won’t skip on epic cool shit, maybe even a decent joke or two … I dread the inevitably cringe oneliners).
I’d argue both DMC and Castlevania has more depth than Duke. While DMC can be summed down to “Cocky man kicks ass”, there’s been greater depths explored with a lot of the cast. Not an ocean, of course, but there’s more to the characters than mere face value.
Castlevania has a wide cast of characters who, while not always presented in the most complex manner, have implied histories and personalities that can be built upon. There’s enough skeleton to support some good muscle.
Duke has the depth of a petri dish. He’s the embodiment of “What You See Is What You Get”.
Like I said elsewhere, a single movie in his peak, or a low budget tongue-in-cheek throwback, I could get behind.
I just don’t see the potential of a Duke series, or even a film getting beyond cult classic status among a select few.
I’d argue both DMC and Castlevania has more depth than Duke.
Def! I said that specifically.
Of the two especially Castlevania offers much more depth & independence to it’s characters.
Duke 1 & 2 didn’t even leave that much character impression on me as the 3(D) did (ok, nether did Keen tbh).
Duke Nukem series will def be it’s own thing (like DMCs & Castlevanias), taking characters & the base premise & do its own thing. Same universe but unrelated to the games. Like comic books - the number of different ways Bruce’s parents get deaded is absurd :D (one time even due to Teen Titans actions).
Yeah, lol, didn’t know how to phrase that - down the throat would def be if he shat in the throat part of the body, but with the head you could say both (‘up’ in regards to the usual way things go down the throat but ‘down’ in regards to gravity).
I guess “down” would be the better choice, my bad.
edit: … my brainhole fucked up, he shits down the throat of the body. Why do I remember him sitting on the decapitated head? Was that in Fornever Forever?
I could see a single short mini-episode where Duke shoots shit up and saves the day, and that’s the depth it goes. A whole series? Kinda seems a bit too thin for that.
Besides, considering the character: if they keep him as is - some people are gonna raise hell. If they don’t - other people gonna raise hell. I don’t see there being a winning move here.
But, eh, whatever. If someone really wants to spend money on making it happen, sure, go ahead.
edit:
“It’s a middle finger to everybody,” Shankar said when describing his vision for Duke Nukem. “When Duke Nukem blew up, a bunch of people sat around trying to turn it into a brand, when it’s just a middle finger. Duke Nukem can’t be made by a corporation, because the moment a corporation makes Duke Nukem, it’s no longer Duke Nukem. I don’t intend on having anyone tell me what to do on this one.”
as the article says. I guess they have a vision, but at the end of the day, a “middle finger to everybody” doesn’t seem like a commercial success. Oh well, remains to be seen what comes out of this.
As someone who has a giant soft spot in her heart for Duke, what story is there to tell?
Duke Nukem is a simple man. He’s here to fuck up alien bastards(for taking the babes, crashing his ride, generally existing), save attractive women, and maybe remember to pick up that pack of gum on his way home.
He’s not really even a “character”, he’s a walking embodiment of 80s and 90s machismo with big guns and less plot than the typical comic book of the time. He’s a machine built for one-liners. He’s a never-ending thoughtless action flick you love because it takes so little actual thought to enjoy.
This same person also made Captain lazerhawk: a blood dragon remix, which was absolutely one of the most unhinged things I have ever seen. An unholy mashup of random Ubisoft characters and references from over the decades, thrown into this dystopic sci-fi plot without any regard for sanity.
I really need to just sit down and watch that. I keep seeing either “It’s insane, but absolutely great” or “It’s absolute dogshit”, and that’s the kinda shit I normally dig.
If they can turn something out with Duke that feels like Duke, I’m down, I’ll support it. He just feels like the most out of left field character to bring back, especially as something outside of a game.
When Gearbox got the rights, I was sure Duke was going to show up in Borderlands, because thats basically the perfect place to put a relic of a character like that.
Have him do the 80s macho-man thing as a side character, and then contrast how much things have changed in the last 30 years for comedy.
There is no story that you could tell with Duke as the main character that wouldn’t feel like it was a script written in 1998 just rotting in a warehouse somewhere.
I have wanted to see him interact with Sal in some capacity for the longest time. I feel like there could be at least some “a better you” gags on Duke.
I feel Duke, Torgue, and Sal would make for a dialogue that is as equally epic as it is brain rotting.
Well, see Last Action Hero
A movie from '93. Which, I believe, influenced what is probably the most recognizable Duke outing, Duke 3D.
That’s kinda part of the point I’m making. Duke is a product of that time, of shallow action flicks with beefy dudes and solid one-liners, often with a little sexism tossed in for spice.
But wasn’t the point of Last Action Hero that „shallow action flicks with beefy dudes and solid one-liners“ are a thing of the past? If it was an influence on Duke 3D, it didn’t retain any of this notion. Video games are a generation behind, maybe it could work again.
And Duke has kinda proven that. 3D has had multiple ports, some better than others, but barely anyone talks about the 2D GBA titles, and Forever will forever be a rotting flop.
The last big commercial success was at an end of an era, at best becoming an archaic parody of a branch of the industry no longer really made, at worst an uncomfortable artifact of a bygone era of entertainment.
Duke could try to reconnect with his daughter, in a world under the benevolent rule of the aliens.
That’d work…
In a very strange reboot of Johnny Bravo, who was a much more positive parody of characters like Duke Nukem. Duke is written as the stereotype who’d bag 'em, tag 'em, and jet to the next bed.
sounds great to me we need more big dumbass corny action flicks about buff dudes and hot ladies
Right. A Duke Nukem movie is impossible in the same way a Baywatch movie was, but that turned out pretty fun and…well…less offensive than expected…?
I don’t think it’s a particularity great idea, but I like to imagine that it’s possible for a Duke Nukem film to keep what’s fun without being as cringe as the original.
If nothing else, the original games were just “Mario had a gun now.”
You just gave all the reasons they would make a movie of him.
A nasty baddie that the audience can hate? ✅
Macho main character? ✅
One liners that can be sprinkled throughout the movie to give the audience goose bumps when uttered? ✅
Hot chicks in trouble? ✅
This is already a movie that a game would normally be made from.
In the actual time of Duke’s peak, absolutely. Hell, with a clever writer and director team, I would support a low-budget tongue-in-cheek flick.
But Duke is heavily a product of the times. I just can’t see a full take that wouldn’t rip out what makes him iconic, but equally terrible, as a character.
Yes, but it’s a very good character & world/lore to build a story + the games themselves have a ton of situationally epic things in them to include or even build around them.
(If Duke doesn’t shit up the throat of a decapitated alien we riot.)
And tho there is more lore, it’s not like Castlevania and DMC are directly screen-playable, but they did a fairly good job (there are better showrunners in the genre, but I think Duky Nuky fits the chill & just barely enough complicated/just over the border of simplistic vibe of DMC show, and I’m sure won’t skip on epic cool shit, maybe even a decent joke or two … I dread the inevitably cringe oneliners).
I’d argue both DMC and Castlevania has more depth than Duke. While DMC can be summed down to “Cocky man kicks ass”, there’s been greater depths explored with a lot of the cast. Not an ocean, of course, but there’s more to the characters than mere face value.
Castlevania has a wide cast of characters who, while not always presented in the most complex manner, have implied histories and personalities that can be built upon. There’s enough skeleton to support some good muscle.
Duke has the depth of a petri dish. He’s the embodiment of “What You See Is What You Get”.
Like I said elsewhere, a single movie in his peak, or a low budget tongue-in-cheek throwback, I could get behind.
I just don’t see the potential of a Duke series, or even a film getting beyond cult classic status among a select few.
Def! I said that specifically.
Of the two especially Castlevania offers much more depth & independence to it’s characters.
Duke 1 & 2 didn’t even leave that much character impression on me as the 3(D) did (ok, nether did Keen tbh).
Duke Nukem series will def be it’s own thing (like DMCs & Castlevanias), taking characters & the base premise & do its own thing. Same universe but unrelated to the games. Like comic books - the number of different ways Bruce’s parents get deaded is absurd :D (one time even due to Teen Titans actions).
… up?
Yeah, lol, didn’t know how to phrase that - down the throat would def be if he shat in the throat part of the body, but with the head you could say both (‘up’ in regards to the usual way things go down the throat but ‘down’ in regards to gravity).
I guess “down” would be the better choice, my bad.
edit: … my brainhole fucked up, he shits down the throat of the body. Why do I remember him sitting on the decapitated head? Was that in
ForneverForever?I could see a single short mini-episode where Duke shoots shit up and saves the day, and that’s the depth it goes. A whole series? Kinda seems a bit too thin for that.
Besides, considering the character: if they keep him as is - some people are gonna raise hell. If they don’t - other people gonna raise hell. I don’t see there being a winning move here.
But, eh, whatever. If someone really wants to spend money on making it happen, sure, go ahead.
edit:
as the article says. I guess they have a vision, but at the end of the day, a “middle finger to everybody” doesn’t seem like a commercial success. Oh well, remains to be seen what comes out of this.
A recognizable blank slate for action set-pieces sounds like a studio’s dream. They can do anything and someone will watch it.