A movie based on Epic’s Xbox 360 exclusive franchise Gears of War could be a fantastic Sci-Fi action/adventure if executed correctly with no corners cut. Epic’s top brass feel the same way, which is why they are revisiting the idea of shopping a Gears of War project to Hollywood producers via Creative Artists Agency in hopes of getting the project on track with Gears of War Judgment due for release early next year.
The first attempt at bringing Gears of War to the big screen occurred in 2007 with Underworld director Len Wiseman loosely attached to direct for New Line. That project was shelved as New Line’s attention shifted toward The Hobbit.
Stuart Beattie penned the latest draft of Gears of War that is expected to be utilized in discussions. If the film gets picked up by a studio, rewrites of Beattie’s script are not out of the question, and Epic overseeing the project to ensure it meets their standards for the Gears world would be a given.
This Gears of War movie news comes just days after the franchise’s mastermind Cliff Bleszinski, a 20-year veteran of Epic and public face of the company, chose to step down and take a break from the industry. The timing could be purely coincidental, or Bleszinski and Epic may not have seen eye-to-eye on how to move forward with a Gears of War film and it made sense to reengage the project after Bleszinski departed.
Just because Epic is trying to get a Gears of War movie off the ground again does not mean it’s in the can. Microsoft has tried – and failed – to bring their flagship Halo franchise to the big screen. They got close with Peter Jackson producing and Neill Blomkamp directing, but the multi-studio financed project was shut down during pre-production due to cost concerns. Props already created for the film, including a life-size Warthog vehicle, were later used in Halo video game live-action promotional videos and short films.
Realizing the alien world of Sera and the Locust Horde in a live-action Gears of War film would likely require a budget north of $100 million. That’s a risky proposition for a film with a heavy military angle.
Source: Variety
