The past year has seen the game and film industries become ever more intertwined. Steven Spielberg inked a three-game deal with EA, Peter Jackson signed on to executive-produce the Halo movie, and James Cameron let slip he is simultaneously developing the game and film versions of his next project, Battle Angel.

With so much synergy going on, it was just a matter of time before someone decided to stage a conference designed to bring the film and game worlds together. Today, leading film trade the Hollywood Reporter and CMP Media, organizers of the Game Developers Conference (GDC), announced they are co-organizing the Hollywood and Games Summit. The event is scheduled for June 27, 2006, at a to-be-determined venue in Beverly Hills, California.

As one might guess from the workman-like title, the event is designed to bring the two worlds together, with Reporter and CMP editorial staff "collaborating on the program agenda." Though the two companies' joint statement announcing the event did not go into specifics, it did say the program would serve the summit's express purpose to "allow leaders from the respective industries to interact and discuss best practices for strategically marketing original IP via both media to greatest effect."

"Some of Hollywood's most creative and successful crossovers have resulted from game visionaries collaborating with their counterparts in movies, television and music," said Chris Marlowe, the Reporter's editorial director of digital media. "In the same vein, we're excited about the crossover opportunities that arise by partnering with industry leader CMP on a new and needed event."