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"A few years ago, Warner Brothers sold the video game rights to its film series ‘The Matrix,’ a heady science-fiction trilogy starring Keanu Reeves, for $10 million, according to industry reports.

"So when it came time for Warner Brothers to sell the game rights to ‘Constantine,’ the new fantasy movie also starring Keanu Reeves, the studio might have expected a similar windfall. Instead, the rights went to a small developer, Bits Studios, for less than a million dollars.

"The difference between the two deals is just one example of how unpredictable – and at times unprofitable – the game publishers’ relationship with Hollywood has become. Five years ago, the studios looked at video game royalties as a growing source of revenue as well as a source of promotion, while game makers saw movies as a way to stand out on store shelves."

Robert Levine. Story Line Is Changing for Game Makers and Their Movie Deals. The New York Times. Feb. 21, 2005.

(Editor�s Note: The Times allows free access to their stories on the Web for seven days before sending the stories to the paper�s fee-based Archive.)

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