The ‘Doom’ Reboot We Should Be Talking About

No one asked for this movie, but it’s happening, and morbid curiosity will get the better of some of us.
Doom Annihilation Trailer

Of all the things the world needs right now, a direct-to-video Doom reboot isn’t high up on most people’s list of priorities. Maybe that’s because none of us ever imagined it happening in a million years, given that the first movie flopped harder than a fish on land. Still, for the morbidly curious citizens of this earth, knowing that this reboot does in fact exist will give us a new experience to look forward to.

If you’re still not convinced that this movie is real, perhaps this trailer (courtesy of Bloody Disgusting) will convince you. What you’re about to see might not blow you away, but for a couple of minutes you’ll sit there and realize that you were alive and kicking during a time when someone had the crazy idea to make another Doom movie. And what a time it is to be alive.

Obviously, the trailer shows that this movie isn’t exactly a high budget affair. Fans craving a Doom adaptation that meets their expectations in terms of story and scale might be disappointed with this one. That said, I’m remaining optimistic that the movie will at least provide some demonic carnage.

Written and directed by Tony Giglio, Doom: Annihilation follows a group of space marines who, after responding to a distress call while voyaging through the stars, encounter a Martian base that’s infested with demons. That sounds like an authentic Doom adaptation on paper, at least. That’s more than can be said about the last attempt starring Dwayne Johnson and Karl Urban.

The first Doom movie, while enjoyable as a mindless action-horror romp, misses the point of the video games. Instead of making the demons invaders from Hell, the creators opted to make the monsters the result of a virus outbreak. There was nothing to really differentiate it from the host of other zombie movies being released in the mid-2000s other than the space setting, despite the wealth of interesting source material to mine ideas from.

Granted, movies and video games are different mediums and require different approaches. No movie is ever completely akin to the console experience. However, the 2005 Doom adaptation felt diluted and soft compared to the games, which have gained notoriety and garnered controversy throughout the years for their Satanic thrills, horrifying monsters, and gung-ho violence. All in all, the film was a missed opportunity to create something fun and truly scary. Here’s hoping that the new movie goes for the jugular.

A direct-to-video Doom movie will likely have afforded the creators more creative freedom to appeal to hardcore fans. At the same time, I’d love to see another attempt at a much bigger movie. Right now is the perfect time for a major studio to come along and consider a serious Doom film treatment, with a budget, notable stars, and a widespread theatrical release.

Since the first movie’s release, the video game franchise has remained popular. The next installment, Doom Eternal, will be available for various consoles this year, and it’s probably going to be a hit. Still, the fact that we’re getting a new game and a new movie in the same year is quite exciting. If the film is even remotely entertaining, 2019 will be a good year for Doom fans.

Kieran Fisher: Kieran is a Contributor to the website you're currently reading. He also loves the movie Varsity Blues.