We’ve not heard too much about the anticipated live-action adaptation of the Gears of War franchise, but way back in February Screen Rant reported that Len Wiseman (Underworld, Live Free or Die Hard) would be directing the Gears of War feature film and co-writing the screenplay alongside Chris Morgan (Wanted, Fast & Furious).
Unfortunately, Wiseman also said he knows nothing about video games – A big red flag considering all video game movies tend to suck because movie studios can’t/don’t replicate the important parts of a video game.
In October, Screen Rant then found out that Billy Ray, who wrote State of Play and Breach is writing the Gears of War script for New Line and that was the last we heard… until now.
Speaking to MakingOf, producer Wyck Godfrey revealed some hints as to what story elements will be the focus of the adaptation.
Watch and see what their idea is:
People surviving Emergence Day? Cloverfield? Not telling story of Alien Planet with horrific Atmosphere?
Godfrey’s tone and explanation make me wonder why they’re making a Gears of War movie if they’re not making a Gears of War movie? From what Wiseman said before, from what Godfrey is saying here, and knowing the current trend in video game movies – I now think we’re in trouble with this film.
“The hard part is how to make it into something that doesn’t feel like a world torn asunder and people just in battle… I think we really want to focus on the idea of a world that’s running well, and then it’s Emergence Day and kind of make it impactful and immediate and the survival of those 48 hours as people survive Emergence Day. It’s more like ‘Cloverfield’ or something like that.”
That’s not what Gears of War is about, or what made the game popular enough to warrant a big budget movie.
“Trying to tell the epic story of an alien planet that’s living in a horrific environment just feels like the wrong mood right now.”
Then why are you making a movie out of this game right now?
The games themselves are cinematic and are about Marcus Fenix and his team of lovable bad-ass dudes surviving and saving the day fourteen years after Emergence Day. Like I said last year, it’s already done, all you have to do is translate it to live-action making in a 2-hour feature. If you make it not what the game is, then the project is already doomed and I question why the movie is being made.
I understand additions and changes for dramatic “hollywood” effect but from what I’ve gathered, I don’t think they’ll be telling the story we want from the movie.
What do you think of Godfrey’s words?
Source: MakingOf
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If they make this and it sucks, I will kill them. This is my favorite 360 game.
Honestly this is just ridiculous!! Can’t there be a good video game movie?!? And if someone says Legend of Chun li, It’ll blow my mind grapes. Thats like saying that God of War has to be changed because a guy who kills his wife and child and then is turned int oa god is a touchy subject. Screw Hollywood. I want to see a good adaptation for once!
How can you screw up a story that is already done for you! If this movie is bad I will give up on video game movies…. FOREVER
Its a bad sign when I’m looking forward to the reboot before the first movie has even been made!
ARGH where’s my *&$%*#$ lancer when I need it!?!
Stupid peoples have conquer Hollywood.
I think the Dom/Maria scene was dramatic enough.
I wonder if this approach is being taken to provide more of a backdrop to ground the more traditional Gears of War story they’d incorporate into follow-up movies. It’s possible they’re trying to ensure this is more of a lasting franchise and is not taken as “just another war movie” that people can pass on. For what I understand, one script of the still in limbo Halo movie seems to follow that same premise of introducing Reach in the beginning. I can see the sense in providing a history as a way of reaching a wider audience, who are then more sold on the basis of the original story of GOW. If it makes the GOW story more credible and believable than it seems like a necessary step to make.
I agree with histeachn, They are trying to develop this into a franchise. If they took the game and just copy and pasted it on the screen than the whole movie would be you chainsawing a guy and half and mowing people down… not necessarily a bad thing, but I can see how they want to maybe pull more people in. They also need to give more depth to the characters because that was DEF something that was lacking in the games. I wouldn’t rule this one out quite yet…
god of war….
@ histeachn & fenix
I agree. I think the idea is to set-up the story with a bang. It’s no secret the mythology in the first game is totally understated to the point of being non-existant. There are so many hints at interesting story elements that are never developed.
That said, isn’t the main theme behind the Gears story is that humanity was living in a world that wasn’t being run well? Hence all of the queen’s voiceover work in both games. Maybe it is possible, as Rob suggests, that the producers have largely missed the overarching ideas behind emergence day.
In general, Godfrey’s comments make me wonder if this won’t be the spiritual sequel to Independence Day. Like if the alien infantry forces had actually landed instead of staring at that giant plasma TV in the mothership.
already a fail
replace that dude
Howdy Ben.
That’s a valid point. Taking Godfrey at his word, he does make it sound like everything was normal before the Locusts emerge. Since he didn’t say too, too much in the interview, I’m kind of wondering if he misspoke. At least, would like to assume that, as it otherwise would indeed sound like ID4 with ground troops.
Otherwise, if he did misspeak and they have another idea in mind for the first movie, I could see the worth of building up the background using the Pendulum War and maybe teasing at the Locusts, giving a rationale for their presence and why they’d attack. I could see them maybe using Emergence Day as a cliffhanger at the end and maybe removing the 14 year hiatus between it and when the first game starts to keep pace.
All speculation, obviously, but that’s the name of the game with bits and pieces of comments thus far.
I hope this was a mis direction to keep special new ideas under wraps. I'm all for showing some of the days before locust intervention, and even quickly displaying E Day. But please show the game! It doesn't have to be 2 hours of sawing down gray monsters, but atleast use the game's plot. The COG have a bomb to kill locusts. Delta Squad is thrown into the plan and must kill the invincible General Raam. They use the bomb but fail. Boom! There's a Gears movie and a set up for a sequel.
Honestly what the hell are they thinking making a movie from a game and yet not focus or translate what the game is about. We are talking about a game that basically puts the player in a battlezone and you see a Delta Team led by the ex con now leader of the team into battle. How hard is that to make into a 2 hour movie. The game itself basically tells you what to put into live action… Just follow the game and all will come together.
Does anyone know the email address to this producer because maybe nobody really told him this… I would like to think this is just a missunderstanding in his part. But if he screws up GEARS of WAR just like they did with DOOM, it would just be a waste of money.
Don't get me started with the cast of the movie…
How bout BATISTA for Fenix not that wimpy guy from prison break he doesn't really bring the character to life like Batista he looks like the guy.
Franky G for Dom, and for Cole how bout a real football player like the character was in the game the TRAIN.
I think Jason Scott LEE would be good for LT Kim.
I'm not sure about the rest of cast but pick people just like the characters in the game.