'Groundhog Day' Is Getting a Virtual Reality Sequel
You've watched the film again and again — now play your way through the follow-up.
In Groundhog Day, weatherman Phil Connors (Bill Murray) finds himself reliving the celebratory occasion over and over again. Since 1993, viewers have been able to enjoy their own looping experience, simply by watching and rewatching the movie. But later this year, there'll be another way to step into the beloved comedy's world — by jumping into the feature's virtual reality sequel.
After being adapted into an award-winning stage musical back in 2016, Groundhog Day is now getting a follow-up. Coming to a VR headset rather than to the big screen, Groundhog Day: Like Father Like Son takes fans back to Punxsutawney, reunites with the Connors family, and lets players experience the joys — and stresses — of repeating the same events again and again. As the title suggests, however, it doesn't focus on Murray's misanthropic character.
We all know that Phil Connors really spent the original flick not only waiting to see if a woodchuck sees a shadow, getting frustrated and dying repeatedly, but learning how to value life and his loved ones. This time around, his son Phil Connors Jr will follow in his footsteps, all while experiencing his own bad, endless day.
If you've chosen your way through Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, you can now do the same thing with this VR game, playing as the younger Phil and trying to break the cycle. Here's hoping that Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe" features on the soundtrack — you know that you're going to have it stuck in your head anyway.
The news comes with the best possible timing, given that Saturday, February 2 marked this year's actual Groundhog Day. At Gobbler's Knob, 'Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators' Punxsutawney Phil didn't see his shadow, meaning that spring is on the way in the US.
As for the game that this marmot-inspired superstition has given rise to, audiences will be able to see it on PlayStation VR, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive at a yet-to-be-announced date later in 2019.
Check out the trailer below:
Via Variety.
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