The video game movie and TV series juggernaut continues apace, with one of the recent announcements being Netflix's Gears of War. They have their sights on both a movie and an animated series adaptation of the popular Xbox third-person shooter. After the announcement in late 2022, things had gone quiet, but now a screenwriter has been attached to the movie.
Jon Spaihts, who is Denis Villeneuve's co-writer on the Dune movies, has been attached to the Gears of War movie. Spaihts was also a writer on Ridley Scott's Prometheus, the 2016 Marvel movie Doctor Strange, the science fiction movie Passengers, and the 2017 version of The Mummy.
“Gears of War is one of the all-time great action games, with vivid characters, a beautifully designed world, and a combat system that drives home the lethality of war and the importance of standing by your squadmates,” Spaihts said in a statement (via ComicBook.com). “It wants to be cinema, and I'm thrilled to have the chance to help that happen.”
Currently, Dave Bautista continues to be the actor that most fans want to see portray the central protagonist of Gears of War, Marcus Fenix. Bautista himself has also lobbied heavily in the past to appear in the movie. Bautista has impressed in science fiction movie Blade Runner 2049 and as part of M. Night Shyamalan’s Knock at the Cabin cast. He also plays Glossu Harkonnen in Dune, so Spaihts is clearly aware of his work.
Even before the hugely popular TV series of The Last of Us came out, a vast number of video game rights were being snapped up left, right and centre. Some of the bigger names that have adaptations coming include Gran Turismo, Metal Gear Solid, Minecraft, Fallout, Mass Effect, and much more!
While we wait for more news on Gears of War, check out our guide to the best science fiction movies. Our sister site, The Loadout, also has a list of the best Xbox Games.