Actress Milla Jovovich has released another look at her character in the Monster Hunter live-action movie. Earlier this month, Jovovich gave fans their first glimpse of her Monster Hunter character, Captain Natalie Artemis, leader of a United Nations military team. While fans will have to wait a little longer to see the monsters themselves, Jovovich’s new post provided fans with a look at what her character in costume.
The film is based on Capcom’s video game series of the same name. The action-RPG has players take on the role of a Hunter who traverse the world, gathering resources, crafting weapons, and trapping or slaying monsters. The franchise got its start back in 2004 and has included five installments in the main series. Because of its success, especially in Japan, the franchise expanded to include a trading card game, a manga, and even an anime series. Back in 2012, it was reported that the series would be getting a live-action movie as well with Resident Evil director Paul W.S. Anderson at the helm. It was another four years before development on the Monster Hunter began. This past spring, Jovovich was cast as the lead and filming began.
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Jovovich has been showing snippets of what to expect for the upcoming film. She recently posted the second look at her character on Instagram, showing Artemis in full armor and with a “slinger” (a Monster Hunter weapon/tool) on her arm. Jovovich noted that she posted the photo to calm fans who may have been worried upon seeing a picture on Instagram of actor Diego Boneta’s character, Sergeant Marshall. Gamers grew concerned because Boneta’s character was armed with modern weaponry, a look that is at odds with the fantasy world of Monster Hunter.
This isn’t the first time Anderson has decided to deviate from the source material. The Resident Evil series, which also starred Jovovich, was criticized for not remaining faithful to the games. Plus, the films themselves weren’t well received. Despite the negative reviews, the franchise remained profitable, earning over $900 million at the box office and becoming the most successful film franchise based off a video game. The success of Jovovich and Anderson (who are also husband and wife) likely played a role in encouraging Capcom to allow them to adapt another one of their games.
If stories about Monster Hunter’s plot are true, gamers will likely find themselves viewing another movie loosely based off a video game. While the games take place in a fantasy universe, Anderson’s film is said to follow two characters pulled into a monster-filled parallel world. If the photos of Jovovich and Boneta are anything to go by, the movie appears to be following Anderson’s vision and will feature elements from a more modern era. But with only a handful of photos released, it’s too early to predict just how far Monster Hunter will split from its source material.