The “Gears of War” video game franchise is being adapted for the screen at Netflix, both as a live-action feature film and an adult animated series, the streamer announced Monday.
Monday happens to be the 16th anniversary of the launch of the “Gears of War” games back in 2006, and Netflix has partnered with the game’s developer, The Coalition, in adapting the property for film and TV. And they’re even teasing that beyond the initial film and animated series that more stories could follow.
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No filmmakers or talent are currently attached to either “Gears of War” project.
The “Gears of War” titles as created by Epic Games have sold 40 million copies worldwide for Xbox consoles. They tell the story of a society divided and on the brink of collapse that faces total extinction by the Locust, a monstrous threat from below. Delta Squad, a ragtag fireteam led by disgraced sergeant Marcus Fenix, is now charged with leading humanity’s last stand.
The games are third-person shooters and have been acclaimed for their co-operative shooter gameplay and sci-fi storytelling. The most recent release was “Gears 5” in 2019, and the series has also spawned numerous spinoff games for Xbox and mobile, as well as comics, novels and more.
“Gears of War” has tried to come to the screen before, with New Line Cinema purchasing the adaptation rights as far back as 2007. But the project later had Universal and producer Scott Stuber developing a film, with Shane Salerno (“Hawaii Five-0”) writing the script alongside The Coalition’s Rod Fergusson, but that version never materialized and was not meant to follow the same story as depicted in the games.
Netflix has also been aggressive in tackling high-profile video game IP, already finding success with adaptations of “Cuphead” and Riot Games’ “Arcane” based on “League of Legends,” but they also have a “Horizon: Zero Dawn” series and a “Bioshock” movie in the works.
THR first reported the news.
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