Mass Effect is coming back. After the controversies surrounding the end of Mass Effect 3 and the launch state of Mass Effect Andromeda, BioWare is ready to revitalize the sci-fi action RPG. As fans wait for BioWare to share more information about the new Mass Effect, they're flexing their creativity reminiscing or speculating about the franchise's future. In on recent example, a Mass Effect fan decided to create a poster imagining what actor Idris Elba might look like in the role of Commander Shepard for a Mass Effect movie.
The fan-made poster, created by Reddit user Virtual_Mika, is a play on a classic Mass Effect visual element. That being the polar forces pulling Commander Shepard in the directions of good or evil, the Paragon and Renegade system. Half of Idris Elba's face is bathed in red light, while the other side glows in radiant blue. The presentation makes the fan-casting that much more real, because Idris Elba is eerily believable as both a Paragon or Renegade version of Commander Shepard.
The poster otherwise presents a very straightforward image. It's Idris Elba's headshot edited into a Commander Shepard picture from his chest up. As such, it presents Elba wearing the full N7 body armor that Shepard typically wears. To Virtual_Mika's credit, the execution is impressive. Elba's head fits well on Shepard's body and the image as a whole presents a realistic and believable depiction of Elba in the role of Mass Effect's protagonist.
I made this fan made poster of a mass effect movie, and I think Idris Elba would be a great shepard. what did you guys think? who would be a great shepard? from masseffect
Perhaps the only detail that could prevent Idris Elba from being cast as Commander Shepard in a Mass Effect movie is his age. Elba is 49 years old, whereas Shepard started the Mass Effect series in his 20s. Elba, by all means, looks great for his age. He's going to have a hard time beating out other younger actors, however.
Unfortunately, there are no current plans for a Mass Effect movie. There was a movie adaptation announced for Mass Effect in 2010, along with plans for a new script to be written in 2012. Since then, however, the project has gone quiet. Fans have every reason to believe the production was put on ice. Outside of official announcements, Henry Cavill teased that he was reading a Mass Effect script in early 2021, but there are no follow-up reports on the matter.
Speculating about casting for movie adaptations is a common video game pastime, though rarely of the quality of Virtual_Mika's movie poster. In another fun example, another Reddit user cast their pet bearded dragon as Wrex. It's as surprisingly apt as Idris Elba is as Commander Shepard. Here's hoping these Mass Effect fans are rewarded with a movie announcement in the relatively near future.