One of the best-selling video gamed franchises of all time is finally getting an adaptation. Not just one though. Gears of War will get a film and a series. Multiple production companies have been trying to get a project rolling since at least 2007, but it seems that Netflix is the only one that has succeeded. For a time, New Line Cinema held the rights. Then, Universal was planning to produce a feature film around the time of the release of Gears Of War 4. That attempt also stalled out.
According to Netflix’s press release, the service “will first adapt the video game saga into a live action feature film, followed by an adult animated series, with the potential for more stories to follow.” They are partnering on both with with series developer The Coalition. For those unfamiliar with the plot of Gears of War, here is how Netflix described it:
A society divided and on the brink of collapse 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 series has been critically acclaimed for redefining the tactical third-person and co-operative shooter genre and has one of gaming’s most passionate fanbases.
As of now, there’s no actual cast or crew attached to either the film or the animated series that are now in the production pipeline. That being said, since Netflix came out and announced that there are adaptations in the works, it’s likely that we’ll hear some news soon!