There is an interesting mind shift taking place in the movie industry. Although virtual reality is still considered to be a niche medium, the situation is vastly improving. Hugo Weaving is currently in the process of making the world’s first full-length VR movie. Keeping viewers engaged while wearing a VR headset for over eighty minutes will be challenging in many different ways.
Hugo Weaving has an interesting Plan
Up until this now, the VR industry has seen various types of movie content. Ranging from experiences to documentaries and short films, it is all available on various platforms. One thing notoriously absent from the list is a full-length VR movie. Given the steep costs involved in creating such a movie, that is not entirely surprising at this time. Additionally, filmmakers haven’t shown much interest in exploring this option either.
That is not the case where Hugo Weaving is concerned. This movie star is best known for appearing in Lord of the Rings and The Matrix. He will now play an important role in the Australian drama Lone Wolf. It is based on the novel The Secret Agent and will tell the story of a terrorist cell. Weaving will play the role of a government minister in this movie.
With a release date set for 2019, Lone Wolf director Jonathan Ogilvie has a lot of work ahead of him. His vision to create a 2D version and a VR version of the same film will certainly set an interesting precedent. The goal is to have the 3D version play at regular movie theatres, whereas the VR version will be made accessible to smartphone-driven VR headsets and select VR events at theaters.
Spending around 90 minutes in VR while doing nothing is an odd concept. Up until now, there has been no indication consumers are ready for such an experience, let alone want to experience it. It is simply uncomfortable to wear a VR headset for more than 30 minutes, even with the new generation coming to market. Moreover, the story itself will need to be of extremely high quality to keep viewers engaged during this period.
Header image courtesy of Shutterstock
If you liked this article make sure to follow us on twitter @thevrbase and subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with the latest VR trends and news.
