Way back in 2007, New Line Cinema secured the movie rights to Microsoft and Epic Games’ hit third-person sci-fi action shooter Gears of War, hiring screenwriter Stuart Beattie (G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) to develop a script with a view to releasing a big-budget adaptation in the summer of 2010. In June 2008 director Len Wiseman (Underworld, Total Recall) became attached to the project, bringing in Chris Morgan (Wanted) to revise the screenplay, and then, after discussing the adaptation at the 2009 San Diego Comic-Con, things fell deathly quiet…
Well, according to Variety, talent agency CAA are now hoping to revive the Gears of War movie, and are said to be looking at meeting with producers in the coming weeks to set up the project outside of New Line. According to the report, the original script is still on the table, while Epic Games will serve as consultants “to make sure [the movie] ties into the canon established by the games and books.”
First released back in 2006, Gears of War is set on a post-apocalyptic Earth-like planet called Sera, and centres on a war between the COGs (Coalition of Ordered Governments) and the Locust Horde, a race of monstrous creatures who emerged from underground to threaten humanity. The original game spawned a billion-dollar franchise, which includes two hugely successful sequels, while the fourth entry in the series – Gears of War: Judgement – is set for release next year.
Originally published October 10, 2012. Updated November 6, 2019.
