It seems like every time I log onto one of my favorite videogame news outlets these days, I’m greeted with a headline announcing that yet another videogame franchise is being brought to the silver screen.

Frankly, it’s becoming rather annoying.

In the news TODAY: some fool wants to make a movie based on Just Cause, and Steven Spielberg is rumored to be producing the Halo movie. (Kotaku.) In weeks past we’ve had news of both Infamous and Dead Space movie adaptations. Going further back still, news of Sony planning to adapt the immortal Shadow of the Colossus to film.

BioShock. Kane & Lynch. A sequel to Hitman. Prince of Persia. Lost Planet. I’m sure there’s more than a few I’m missing. Point being, there are a lot of videogame films in the works these days.

There are obvious reasons behind this, of course. The videogame world, more so than any other form of media at this time, offers a veritable gold mine of fresh IPs. And nearly every one of them are ripe materials for the perfect Summer popcorn flick.

In blunt terms, if two of Summer 2009’s biggest films are based on toy lines, you have to assume that Hollywood is running out of quality popcorn material these days. So really, it makes perfect sense that so many studios and producers have their eyes set on the videogame industry. But that doesn’t make it a good idea.

It’s clear that they want to replicate the success Marvel Comics has had with their immense library of IPs. Every year now we’re treated several new Super Hero flicks, and amazingly enough, most of them turn out to be pretty decent.

And even if they’re not, they go on to make millions nonetheless.

But as much as certain people want videogames to have the same success, it simply can’t happen now. The comic book medium had over half a century to evolve and grow before serious films based on them were produced. By that time, the roster of characters was endless, backstories and story concepts were rich and easily drawn upon, and practically an entire generation and then some had grown up on comic books. So many of the characters were household names even before films about them were made: Spider-Man, The Hulk, Wolverine, X-men, the list could go on.

The videogame industry has a sizable built-in fanbase, but I think we can admit that it pales in comparison to that of Marvel Comics and its heroes. And that is one of the reasons why the success can’t be replicated at this time. By my eyes, videogames are yet “come unto their own,” as comic books have. The only real “household names” at this point are Mario and possibly Lara Croft. (And we know how well it goes when you throw THEM on the big screen.) Nathan Drake, Marcus Phoenix, and Cole McGrath aren’t exactly there yet. They’re likely not recognizable to most of the people working on the film, much less the general movie-going public. They don’t have extensive character developments and plot points to draw upon; they have maybe one or two videogames to their name.

Give ‘em 40 more years or so and then check back.

That’s the main reason why videogame films aren’t a sound bet at this time. But in addition to that, I tend to be against them on principle. I’m not saying that a good film based on a videogame property can’t be made, but there are a lot of videogame properties that just need to remain videogames.

Example: When I heard they were working on a film adaptation of Sony’s modern classic, Shadow of the Colossus, my heart sank deep into my bowels. The concept of a game that thrived on it’s flawless, evocative atmosphere being made into a summer blockbuster does not sit well with me. I felt the same when I heard about the planned adaptation of Dead Space, yet another game that thrived on its atmosphere. The sheer sense of terror that grips you the entire game is only accomplished through the interactivity that connects the player to the story, characters, and environment. What made these games such unforgettable experiences can’t be transferred to the silver screen. Because movies, as we well know, are not interactive.

In other words, Shadow of the Colossus and Dead Space weren’t just about killing giants or splattering alien gore. And to be perfectly honest, I don’t think half the producers in Hollywood understand that at this point.

I think in the future, we might be ready to see some serious attempts to adapt videogame properties to film. But for so many reasons, now is not the time.

I’m remaining optimistic on the Prince of Persia adaptation, however… Jerry, don’t let me down.