Adapting video games to the screen has always been a tough task to pull off, with most film adaptations winding up among the worst received films of all time. TV and streaming series based on games have a better track record, and luckily, Fallout's first season is finally starting production for the small screen.
The iconic Fallout franchise has spanned nine games over 24 years, generating well over a billion dollars in sales since Bethesda acquired the franchise. The most recent game in the franchise, Fallout 76, despite its myriad issues still keeps tens of thousands of players active over three years after release.
Fallout takes place in the moderately near future, informed by the post-war culture of 1950's America. Built on the back of 1988's Wasteland, the games center around the remnants of civilization after a disastrous nuclear conflict. The wasteland is packed with heavily armed factions and dangerous mutants, the games are heavily based around exploring and experiencing the ever-changing landscape and the infinite forms of life. The franchise manages to be action-packed, morally complex, darkly satirical, and often hilarious. It's incisive social satire mixed with brutally visceral action. With the seemingly endless expanse of the many games' narratives, a running series could focus on just about anything, but a few fan-favorite elements have emerged. Multiple studios have made attempts to adapt Fallout to film, but the elements have simply never come together. Now that the franchise is being adapted, it could be instructive to look into who is handling the transition.
The premiere of the Fallout series is set to be directed by Jonathan Nolan, who is also signed on as one of many executive producers. Nolan is rarely in the director's seat, more often working as a screenwriter. Jonathan Nolan is well known for his collaborations with his brother Christopher, including co-writer credits on The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, and Interstellar. Nolan has only directed two projects thus far, both on TV. Nolan created the sci-fi drama Person of Interest, which ran for five seasons on NBC. Nolan directed a single episode of the well-recieved series and wrote a handful, but primarily served as executive producer.
His next project was the extremely beloved HBO series Westworld, which Nolan co-created with Lisa Joy. The pair's production company Kilter Films is partnering with Amazon to make the show. He directed three episodes, including the incredible pilot episode and wrote the screenplay for nine. He doesn't have a ton of directing experience, but what he has done is across the board beloved. Nolan is set to write and direct the first episode, but his further involvement with those roles is unknown.
The showrunners of Fallout have also recently been revealed. Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner are set to helm the project. Robertson-Dworet is best known as the co-writer of 2018's Tomb Raider remake and 2019's Captain Marvel. She is also currently in production on a variety of other projects. Roberson-Dworet is set to write the third Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes film and the Dungeons & Dragons film, both of which are upcoming. Wagner wrote a handful of episodes of Silicon Valley and the majority of the IFC comedy Portlandia. He served as a producer on both shows, as well as The Office and Baskets. This is both of the pair's first time as showrunner, but their experience as writers could guide their leadership in an interesting direction.
The other big name attached to the project is one that Fallout fans are already well aware of, for better or worse; Todd Howard. Howard has been the primary lead creator behind Fallout since its acquisition in 2008, directing development of Fallout 3, 4 and 76. Howard's involvement is the head of the spear when it comes to Bethesda's connection to the upcoming series. Executive producer is a bit of an amorphous role, in some cases barely involved in the series and in others the final deciding voice. Most of the show is still kept largely under wraps, but the direct involvement of Todd Howard is the closest thing to a clue towards the series' narrative and tone.
The great schism of the Fallout franchise is a contentious topic among the fanbase. Whether fans prefer the first two games or the modern era, it's almost inarguable that there is a massive difference in tone and execution between the two phases. The fact that Bethesda, and Howard specifically, is involved means that the show will take heavy inspiration from the additions made to the franchise by its modern owners. Fallout 3 is not a direct sequel to its predecessors, and 4 isn't perfectly connected to either. If the Fallout series adapts the games in any direct fashion, it will almost certainly keep to 3, 4, and 76. But the great thing about Fallout is that they don't even need to adapt a specific game.
Fallout is still an open canvas, there's still a ton of the US to explore and the show could provide a great outlet to see everything in a new light. With a fascinating crew and a great pedigree, the Fallout show could be something very special.