So, Secret Level isn't exactly "new" news as the initiative was first announced at Gamescom on August 20th, 2024. What is new are a batch of new trailers meant to get people excited for its upcoming December 10th, 2024 debut. Those trailers showed off teasers for the Warhammer 40,000 animated film as well as teasers for a Mega Man and Armored Core animated film. Three months ago a trailer for a movie adaptation of Sony's Concord debuted and its episode still seems to be planned to air, despite the game it is based off of being pulled from all marketplaces after its disastrous release.

For those of you unaware of what Secret Level might be, it's a CG animated anthology series funded by Amazon Studios and led by director Tim Miller. Each episode is based on a different gaming property and not all are based on video games. Tim Miller's previous credits include Deadpool (2016) and Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) as well as the animated anthology series, Love, Death & Robots. Each episode tackles its subject using a semi-realistic style using CG animation and each episode is intended to be a standalone mini-film based on a slice of its respective IP. Amazon also has clarified that the series is meant for adults given that some episodes, like the God of War and Warhammer ones, will feature violence, gore, and death which makes the fact that there are episodes based on Pac-Man or Spelunky even weirder.

When the program aired its initial Gamescom trailer showcasing a snippet of each episode, many people were apt to point out that the lead pilot in the Armored Core episode looked like Keanu Reeves. This point led to a brief controversy wherein Amazon was not yet clear if the character's likeness was actually modelled on Reeves or was an indirect homage, which led some to question if he could sue Amazon for royalties. However, Amazon eventually did confirm that, yes, the main character for the Armored Core episode was indeed Keanu Reeves and further announced other actors associated with Secret Level.

If you want a complete list of games and other multi-media properties that will be featured in Amazon's "Secret Level" anthology, here's what the sole arbiter of truth, Wikipedia, seems to say:

As you look at this list, you do see a handful of announced IPs that make perfect sense and others that are complete headscratchers. Making a CG animated movie based on Warhammer 40K or Dungeons & Dragons? Sure! Making a CG animated film about Unreal Tournament, Spelunky, or even Pac-Man? Wait, what? Related, I still don't know what Exodus is and Amazon has been mum about what they intend for the "PlayStation" episode. Also, the series seems to be artistically all over the place because for Pac-Man, it sure seems like they are Act Zero-ing the world of Pac-Man!

Nonetheless, the fact that Amazon looks like it spent bank on each episode and that the series seems completely unhinged has me curious. I'll give the show a shot even if it kills me.

"Hasta la vista, Air Man"...

I watched the first dozen or so episodes of that Love, Death & Robots show and even the episodes that I didn't personally care for were all at least visually interesting and diverse. The part where all of these trailers seem to just be going for the same-y looking "high budget video game CG trailer" is a bit of a bummer.

[Mock-up for the Drill Man fight]

To be fair, I can imagine different media based on UT, as there is precedent for stories about Violent Futuresports. Spelunky as well: I think you could make a deeply atmospheric decent into the depths of the unknown in the style of (for example) a Made in Abyss and/or operating on some Scavengers Reign-esque phantasmagoric wavelenghts.

But, huh, yeah. This might have some pedigree behind it, but from these first peeks it does not seem hugely inspired. The "Act Zero-ing the world of Pac-Man," (haha, good way of putting it!) I don't know what to make of that. I suppose I'm not opposed to them fully going off the hinges. Though it might be better to just rerun this and call it a day?

The part where all of these trailers seem to just be going for the same-y looking "high budget video game CG trailer" is a bit of a bummer.

Yes, definitively. This seems like a great opportunity to play around and explore eclectic styles. Seems to be different levels of realism and stylization going on (if you compare Mega Man to Armored Core, for example) but it still fits within that similar mold. But hey maybe uuuh Honor of Kings will surprise us by being a Arcane-esque visual spectacle?

If i just saw the megaman footage with no context I would've thought it was AI generated. Would've preferred if the megaman episode had a 2d artstyle. Maybe they think that consumers will expect "high budget video game CG trailer" as its a show about videogames??? Who knows why they make the decisions they do.

So it's basically, Love, Death, and Robots, but based around video game stories and lore? I'm down. Since I'm a fan of LDR, even though the first season of that show is still the best.