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Mutant Chronicles (film)
Mutant Chronicles (film)
Mutant Chronicles (film)
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Mutant Chronicles
Theatrical release poster
Directed bySimon Hunter
Written byPhilip Eisner
Stuart Hazeldine
(uncredited)
Produced byEdward R. Pressman
Tim Dennison
Pras Michel
Stephen Belafonte
Peter La Terriere
StarringThomas Jane
Ron Perlman
John Malkovich
CinematographyGeoff Boyle
Edited bySean Barton
Alison Lewis
Music byRichard Wells
Production
companies
Distributed byEntertainment Film Distributors (United Kingdom)[1]
Magnet Releasing (United States)
Release dates
  • October 10, 2008 (2008-10-10) (United Kingdom)
  • April 24, 2009 (2009-04-24) (United States)
Running time
111 minutes
(International)
101 minutes
(United States)
CountriesUnited Kingdom
United States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$25 million[2]
Box office$2.1 million[1]

Mutant Chronicles is a 2008 British-American science fiction steampunk action-horror film, loosely based on the role-playing game of the same name. The film was directed by Simon Hunter, and stars Thomas Jane and Ron Perlman.

It was released throughout Europe[3] in 2008, followed by a North American VOD on March 27, 2009, and a theatrical release for selected cities on April 24, 2009.[4] The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 4, 2009.

Plot

[edit]

The story is set in the year 2707.[5] The world is loosely based on that of the Mutant Chronicles role-playing game, in which many technologies are steam powered and mankind has exhausted Earth's natural resources. The protagonists must battle against mutated humans that were accidentally unleashed.[6][7]

The plot revolves around a "machine" which came from space 10,000 years ago. The "machine" mutates people into barely intelligent killing drones, known as "mutants", that drag new victims to the machine for conversion. Sealed away thousands of years ago by human tribes, the machine is accidentally uncovered during a large battle in Eastern Europe between two (Capitol and Bauhaus) of the four corporations that now rule the world (the other two being Mishima and Imperial). Within six weeks the world is almost completely overrun by the mutant gangs. Some of the population has been evacuated to Mars, but millions remain on the doomed Earth. A group of soldiers are assembled to take another ancient device to the heart of the machine in an attempt to destroy it in a suicide mission. In return, their loved ones receive coveted tickets to Mars.

En route their spaceship is shot down by a kamikaze airship piloted by a mutant. The group is forced to battle through the mutants in tunnels to reach the machine, hoping to save the last of humanity. In their attempt to reach the machine, most die, with Mitch being partially transformed into a mutant and Brother Samuel being fully transformed. Mitch is able to halt his own transformation, but is forced to kill Brother Samuel. Mitch, being the last survivor, is ultimately successful in activating the ancient device, causing the machine (which was actually part of a spacecraft) not to be destroyed but to blast off into space.

A dying and mutated Samuel tells him to "have faith" as Mitch jumps from the slowly ascending rocket, landing in an underground lake beneath the rocket. Crawling onto land he sees the rocket disappear into the sky, realizing he is the prophesied savior of mankind, despite not believing in a god. Grievously wounded and partially mutated, he unsuccessfully attempts to light a final crooked cigarette. The final plan shows the rocket (ironically) en route to the red planet.

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

Development

[edit]

In December 1995, it was reported that producer Edward R. Pressman had acquired the rights to adapt the pen-and-paper role-playing game Mutant Chronicles.[8] A $40 million incarnation of the project was planned to be filmed in London, England in early 1996 with John Carpenter set to direct, but stalled in development due to Pressman suffering back-to-back under-performances of Judge Dredd, The Crow: City of Angels, and The Island of Dr. Moreau.[8][9] Pressman then later set up an incarnation of the project at 20th Century Fox with Stephen Norrington slated to direct, but after facing several delays related to concerns of the budget Norrington left to direct Blade.[10] An incarnation to be helmed by Roger Christian also failed to come together with Christian instead making Battlefield Earth.[10] In October 1997, Pressman said the film was to have a marketing plan that would involve a merchandising program for a major toy line, publishing, videogames and an animated TV series.[11] In November 1998, Helkon Media had signed a deal with Pressman to co-produce Mutant Chonicles with a $35 million budget to be directed by Robert Sigl, however this incarnation of the project never came to fruition due to Helkon's bankruptcy and collapse.[12][13] In November 2005, it was announced Mutant Chronicles was finally beginning production following a decade of development hell with Simon Hunter directed from a script he co-wrote with Ross Jameson.[14]

Critical reception

[edit]

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 17% based on 35 reviews, with a weighted average rating of 3.5/10. The site's critical consensus reads "Bad acting, poor CGI and clunky script mean this sci-fi thriller is lacking in all departments including the thrills."[15]

References

[edit]
[edit]
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Mutant Chronicles (film)

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Mutant Chronicles is a 2008 British-American action-horror film directed by Simon Hunter and loosely based on the Mutant Chronicles role-playing game franchise created by the Swedish studio in 1993. Written by , the film stars as Major Mitch Hunter, as Brother Samuel, as Constantine, as Lady Ilona, and as Capt. Nathan Rooker. It was produced by Film Corporation and others, with a runtime of 111 minutes, and received a theatrical release in the on October 10, 2008, before a limited release in the United States on April 24, 2009. Set in the 28th century amid a world fractured by perpetual warfare between four rival mega-corporations controlling the planet's resources, the plot centers on the accidental unearthing of an ancient Martian machine during a battle on the front lines. This device, powered by dark forces, begins mass-producing hordes of undead mutants that rapidly overrun Earth's surface, forcing the corporations to plan a mass exodus to Mars. In response, the Papal Inquisition dispatches Brother Samuel, a devout warrior-monk, to assemble a suicide squad including battle-hardened Major Mitch Hunter, who must journey into the mutant-infested depths to destroy the machine and prevent total annihilation. The narrative draws on gothic and steampunk aesthetics, blending trench warfare reminiscent of World War I with horror elements inspired by the game's lore of ancient evils and religious orders. The film features practical effects for its mutant creatures alongside early CGI enhancements, reflecting a budget of $25 million. took place primarily in 2006, including at Bray Studios in the , with post-production wrapping in 2008 after years in since the rights were acquired in the early . Upon release, Mutant Chronicles received overwhelmingly negative critical reception, earning a 17% approval rating on based on 35 reviews, with critics citing weak scripting, subpar , and lackluster as major flaws. Commercially, it underperformed, grossing $6,820 in limited U.S. release and approximately $2.1 million worldwide, failing to recoup costs. Despite its shortcomings, the film has garnered a among fans of the original for its ambitious of the franchise's dystopian universe.

Background and development

Source material

The Mutant Chronicles tabletop role-playing game was first published in 1993 by the Swedish company . Set in a post-apocalyptic 28th-century solar system, the game depicts a techno-fantasy world dominated by warring mega-corporations, where humanity battles ecological collapse, interstellar conflict, and emerging supernatural horrors. Central to the game's lore are the four primary mega-corporations—Capitol (a democratic, Mars-based power evoking American influences), Imperial (a monarchical force controlling Jovian moons with British undertones), Mishima (a honor-bound entity on Mercury drawing from Japanese traditions), and Cybertronic (a secretive, machine-augmented faction of ambiguous origins)—which vie for control amid resource scarcity. The narrative core involves the activation of an ancient alien machine on Mars that unleashes the Dark Symmetry, a corrupting force producing the mutant hordes of the Dark Legion. Countering this menace is the Brotherhood, a fanatical sworn to eradicate the Legion through holy war and technological prohibition. The franchise expanded significantly in the 1990s, influencing the broader universe adapted for the film. Key releases included the Doomtrooper in 1995, which focused on elite corporate soldiers combating ; the Warzone miniatures wargame in 1996, emphasizing tactical battles between corporations and the Dark Legion; and comic up to the early 2000s, such as the 1996 five-issue Mutant Chronicles: Golgotha miniseries written by William King with art by Davide Fabbri and Simon Bisley. The film represents a loose of this material, streamlining complex timelines and reimagining character roles for narrative pacing in a feature-length format. Originally released in Swedish, the RPG received an English-language edition in 1994, broadening its international appeal through Target Games' distribution efforts. By 2008, coinciding with the film's release, Fantasy Flight Games licensed the property to publish a collectible miniatures game, revitalizing the franchise with new content tied to the cinematic adaptation.

Pre-production

The film rights to the Mutant Chronicles role-playing game were acquired by producer in December 1995. Early plans included a $40 million production set to film in in 1996 with directing, but the project stalled due to underperforming films from Pressman's company. It later moved to 20th Century Fox with attached, then to Christian, but both efforts collapsed due to issues and scheduling conflicts. In November 1998, a $35 million co-production with Helkon Media fell through after the company's bankruptcy. The project remained in until approximately 2003, when it went inactive. The project was revived in November 2005 under Pressman & Co. Films, announcing —fresh off his role in The Punisher—as the lead actor in a sci-fi action adaptation set in a dystopian future ravaged by corporate wars. This marked an effort to bring the game's gothic techno-fantasy universe to the screen, emphasizing a narrative of humanity's struggle against ancient evils. In November 2005, Simon Hunter was attached as director, marking his feature film debut after a career in commercials and shorts. Screenwriter was brought on to craft the script, transforming the RPG's open-ended ensemble gameplay and sprawling lore—originally developed by —into a streamlined, character-driven quest narrative focused on a to seal away mutant hordes. Eisner's adaptation drew inspiration from war films like , condensing the source material's corporate factions and apocalyptic elements into a high-stakes team assault on an underground threat, while shifting the timeline to the year 2707 to heighten the sense of technological regression and blend visuals with horror. Financing was secured for a $25 million through a consortium including First Foot Films, , and Emagine Entertainment, supplemented by international tax incentives such as those available in the UK and film funds. Casting ramped up throughout 2006 and into 2007, with announcements including as a monk-like guide, as a corporate overlord, and supporting roles filled by actors like and , building an ensemble to evoke the RPG's diverse archetypes while prioritizing action-hero dynamics. Creative decisions during this phase prioritized practical effects and matte paintings over heavy CGI to capture the game's gritty, retro-futuristic aesthetic, addressing challenges in balancing the source material's complexity with cinematic pacing.

Production

Filming

Principal photography for Mutant Chronicles took place from May 30, 2006, to July 31, 2006, spanning approximately nine weeks. The production was primarily based at in , , , where sets representing the film's dystopian 28th-century and Mars were built for efficiency in creating the required . Additional occurred on the Isle of Man to capture exterior battlefields and landscapes. Set designs drew on a aesthetic, with constructed elements including elaborate World War I-style trenches, retro-futuristic spaceships, and cavernous mutant lairs to evoke the techno-fantasy world. Action sequences emphasized practical effects, incorporating for explosions and coordinated stunt work for combat scenes involving the cast in period-inspired gear. Challenges arose from assembling an international cast and crew, including American, British, and German talent, under director Simon Hunter, whose debut feature required adjustments during the shoot to refine the high-intensity battle choreography.

Post-production

Post-production on Mutant Chronicles involved extensive work to integrate the film's practical and digital elements into a cohesive 111-minute . Editing was handled by Sean Barton and Alison Lewis, who assembled the footage captured during in 2006, with the final cut completed in July 2008. Visual effects were a major component, featuring approximately 1,645 shots to depict the futuristic war sequences, mutant hordes, spaceship maneuvers, and the ancient Martian machine. The VFX were supervised by the London-based studio Men From Mars, which created CGI mutants and environmental destruction to enhance the post-apocalyptic setting. Complementing the digital work, practical creature designs and makeup effects for the mutants were crafted by Neill Gorton and his team at Millennium FX, focusing on grotesque, biomechanical appearances to ground the horror elements in tangible prosthetics. The sound design, led by Howard Bargroff as supervising sound editor and sound designer, emphasized immersive battle sequences and mutant vocalizations to heighten tension, with re-recording mixing ensuring dynamic audio layers for the film's action-heavy runtime. The original score was composed by Richard Wells, incorporating orchestral swells and electronic motifs to underscore the epic, dystopian tone, blending symphonic heroism with industrial undertones. Final polishing included to achieve a desaturated, gritty aesthetic that reinforced the war-torn 28th-century world, contributing to the film's overall dark visual style. An early screening at Comic-Con International in 2008 allowed for audience feedback prior to wider release.

Release

Theatrical release

The film received its first theatrical release in on August 7, 2008. In the , it opened on October 10, 2008, distributed by . The picture screened at genre festivals, including the in October 2008, targeting sci-fi and horror audiences. International sales were managed by . In the United States, the film had a (VOD) release on March 27, 2009, followed by a limited theatrical rollout on April 24, 2009, through , without a owing to distribution constraints. Marketing efforts included trailers released in 2008 that highlighted the ensemble cast—featuring , , and —alongside the film's ties to the game universe and its dystopian, steampunk-inspired visuals. Promotional posters emphasized the retro-futuristic aesthetic, while tie-ins with supported the launch of a collectible miniatures game set in the same franchise. The rated the film R for strong bloody violence and gore, with a running time of 111 minutes.

Home media

The home media release of Mutant Chronicles began with a Region 2 DVD edition in the on February 16, 2009. In the United States, Home Entertainment distributed the film on both standard DVD and Blu-ray Disc formats starting August 4, 2009, with the Blu-ray featuring the unrated running approximately 111 minutes. The standard DVD edition includes an audio commentary track featuring director Simon Hunter and actor , alongside supplementary materials such as The Making of 'Mutant Chronicles' , a segment on the film's , and another on adapting the original game source material. The Blu-ray version provides enhanced high-definition visuals with encoding and supports 5.1 audio, maintaining the same special features as the DVD while delivering superior picture quality for the film's aesthetic and action sequences. In the ensuing years, expanded to digital distribution, becoming available for streaming on platforms including and Selects during the . As of November 2025, it is available to stream on services such as , (ad-supported), , and Plex, with options to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. These home media options contributed to modest sales figures, fostering a dedicated among retro and horror enthusiasts drawn to its post-apocalyptic narrative and .

Reception

Critical response

Mutant Chronicles received mixed to negative reviews from critics, with praise for its cast and visual elements overshadowed by criticisms of its script and execution. On , the film holds a 17% approval rating based on 35 reviews, with an average score of 3.8/10. The site's consensus describes it as suffering from "bad acting, poor CGI and clunky script," lacking thrills across departments. Critics frequently highlighted strong performances from the , particularly Ron Perlman's intense portrayal of the monk Brother and Thomas Jane's heroic turn as Major Mitch Hunter, noting their efforts to elevate the material. The film's atmospheric production design, blending aesthetics with horror in its retro-futuristic war-torn world, was commended for creating an immersive, gritty environment. Creature effects also drew positive mentions for their effectiveness in action sequences, contributing to visceral mutant encounters. However, the screenplay faced widespread condemnation for plot holes, clichés, and underdeveloped characters, failing to capture the depth of the source role-playing game and resulting in a generic B-movie sci-fi feel. Uneven pacing and stilted dialogue were common complaints, with action set pieces described as unimaginative despite their scale. In Variety, the film was called a "cold, inhuman and unconvincing sci-fi pic" that "should have been left as the role-playing board game," though Jane and Perlman were said to do "all they can." The Guardian labeled it a "feeble, dystopian SF fantasy" with retro effects and wooden acting, exemplified by John Malkovich's disengaged appearance. IGN deemed it "passably entertaining" as a "mindless monster mash" with corny dialogue and hammy acting, but over-the-top action provided some diversion, marking director Simon Hunter's ambitious yet unpolished debut.

Box office performance

Mutant Chronicles achieved a worldwide gross of $2,131,057 against a reported of $25 million, marking a significant financial underperformance. In the United States, the film received a limited release on April 24, 2009, opening in 2 theaters to earn $4,724 over its debut weekend, for an average of $2,362 per screen; its total domestic earnings amounted to just $6,820 over a single week in theaters. Internationally, it fared marginally better, with key markets including the , where it debuted on October 10, 2008, across 126 screens to gross £75,000 ($127,299) in its opening weekend, ultimately earning $228,373 in that territory. The film's modest results stemmed from constrained distribution, exacerbated by delays in finalizing a U.S. release deal with Magnet Releasing until January 2009, which postponed its American rollout by over six months following its international premiere. This timing coincided with a crowded 2008-2009 sci-fi landscape, where high-profile competitors like Iron Man dominated with $585 million worldwide, limiting opportunities for mid-budget genre fare. Negative word-of-mouth, fueled by the film's poor critical reception, further hampered audience turnout. Theatrical revenues failed to recoup even a of the budget, but home media provided partial mitigation, with estimated domestic video sales reaching $607,445, primarily from Blu-ray.

References

  1. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0490181/
  2. https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0490181/
  3. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mutant_chronicles
  4. https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/04/24/mutant-chronicles-review
  5. https://www.moriareviews.com/sciencefiction/mutant-chronicles-2008.htm
  6. https://www.rpgpub.com/threads/the-mutant-chronicles.166/
  7. https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/22826/mutant-chronicles-collectible-miniatures-game
  8. https://mutantchronicles.fandom.com/wiki/Dark_Legion
  9. https://ffg-forum-archive.entropicdreams.com/topic/707-mutant-chronicles-product-release-timeline-1993-2008/
  10. https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?q=Mutant%20Chronicles%201
  11. https://rpggeek.com/rpg/513/mutant-chronicles-1st-plus-2nd-editions
  12. https://variety.com/1998/film/news/pic-book-pacts-set-for-helkon-1117488025/
  13. https://variety.com/2005/film/news/jane-main-man-for-mutant-2-1117933086/
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  35. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/mutant-chronicles
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  40. https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/mutant-chronicles
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  42. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/oct/12/actionandadventure
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  46. https://www.screendaily.com/mutant-chronicles-finally-scores-us-deal-with-magnet-releasing/4042526.article
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