Image: The Coalition
Netflix is venturing even further into video game adaptations with the recently announced Gears of war movies and animated series for adults. We’ll update you on everything we know about the upcoming adaptations below.
Announced on November 7, 2022, netflix revealed who are working on two Gears of War projects as part of the 16th anniversary of the original game’s release.
by Netflix:
«Netflix will first adapt the video game franchise into a live-action film, followed by an adult animated series, with the potential for more stories to follow.»
The projects will be developed in association with The Coalition, the game studio behind the franchise.
In March 2023Netflix announced that the writer jon spaihts (Dune 1 and 2, strange doctor) had been attached to the project. In a statement, Spaihts said:
“Gears of War is one of the best action games of all time, with vivid characters, a beautifully designed world, and a combat system that drives home the lethality of war and the importance of supporting your squadmates. He wants to be film, and I’m delighted to have the opportunity to help make that happen.»
Image: Netflix / The Coalition
A brief history of the video game franchise: Gears of war
If you are a complete newbie to Gears of warhere’s a quick rundown of what you need to know about the long-running franchise, one of Xbox’s biggest franchises behind aura and Force.
The video game franchise began in 2006 with Epic Games developing the third-person shooter action game with Cliff Bleszinski and Rod Fergusson behind the title.
After several entries, Microsoft finally acquired the game series in 2014 and founded a new development studio, The Coalition, to work on the game series ever since.
Image: The Coalition
There have been five main games in the game franchise developed so far, with three spin-offs, including judgment gears war, pop gears!, and gear tactics.
Known for its large settings, the game franchise is set on the planet Sera and sees the battle between humanity and the reptilian hominids known as the Locust Horde.
The game primarily follows Marcus Fenix, a soldier in the Coalition of Ordered Governments.
There are plenty of great recaps of the entire history of the game franchise looking at the pendulum wars, the locust horde, Emergence Day, and the events of the game, but we picked this one from TGN. It’s worth watching to get acquainted with the lore and backstory of the games.
This isn’t the first time Gears of War has gone live-action.
This isn’t the first time we’ve almost seen Gears of war coming to our screens, with an adaptation in development since 2010. Initial development of the film was done at New Line with Temple Hill.
the envelope reported in 2013 that Scott Stuber (now head of Netflix movies) won the battle to produce the film under the Bluegrass Films banner.
Then, in 2016, Universal Pictures opted for the rights make a Gears of war movie. At the time, Scott Stuber was working at Universal and would have served as a producer on the project alongside Dylan Clark (Planet of the Apes, Forgot).
In 2017, Universal drafted in Shane Salerno to write the script, though it eventually fizzled out. Then in 2018, F. Scott Frazier He was hired to write the Universal film, though the option rights eventually lapsed.
Eventually, the option rights expired, and as you now know, Netflix is next to try to adapt the title.
in a ScreenRant InterviewRod Fergusson told the outlet what he expected when it came to an adaptation saying:
“Between us, myself, the producers and the Universal studio. Basically, I wanted to make it really easy for them to be creative in that space. Just like when I work with the author of the book or the comic, I try to find some negative space where they can play and not feel forced. [Not] as if they were going to redefine my tradition, or as if it was going to restrict them too much. What I said to Universal and Dylan Clark Productions was, «Make a great movie first, and then make a Gears movie.»
Is Dave Bautista Starring in Netflix’s Gears of War?
No, at least not yet.
Many were rightfully confused and excited when Dave Bautista (who has starred in several Netflix projects, including Glass Onion: A Knives Out Story and army of the dead) posted that he «can’t make this any easier» with a promotional video in which he is seen dressed in a Gears of War outfit.
I can’t make this any easier. @Gears of war @Netflix #marcusfenix #Gears of war pic.twitter.com/SzDpiT2rNA
—Dave Bautista (@DaveBautista) November 10, 2022
Some connected the dots that this meant Bautista had been cast in the movie and/or animated series, but that’s not the case yet. The video seen in the Tweet is a promotional one for Gears 5, released in September 2019, where you could unlock Dave as a playable character in the game.
Naturally, with the hashtag, Bautista thinks he’s perfect for the role of Marcus Fenix and naturally has the build to play the part, so it’s a game of wait and see.
Dave Bautista in Gears 5 – Image: The Coalition
This is just one of many video game adaptations in the works at Netflix. Other great adaptations of obtaining IP include assassin’s Creed, bioshock, sonic, Horizon, and tomb Raider.
are you looking forward Gears of war get an adaptation on Netflix? Let us know in the comments below.