This is not exactly breaking news, but due to some reader feedback, we thought we’d touch on the Gears of War movie project and give some information on the latest updates.
At the red carpet premiere of Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, the good people over at Bloody Disgusting got a chance discuss the Gears of War project with Underworld creator and producer Len Wiseman. Wiseman revealed that in addition to writing the screenplay with fellow writer Chris Morgan (Wanted, Fast & Furious), he will also be occupying the director’s seat.
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The Gears of War titles hold a special place in my heart and this all sounds promising… A live-action adaptation of one of the greatest video games ever made to date could be awesome – especially one that’s unique in style and story as this is. However, things get a little worrisome when he starts talking more about the project:
“I suck at video games, it just takes me too long and I can’t get the coordination of ‘em. When I was on [Live Free Or] Die Hard, I had to choose some video game for the background in a scene with Kevin Smith. I was shown about a dozen games and told to ‘Choose one to be in the background’ and I said ‘this one looks really, really cool whatever it is,’ and it was Gears Of War. I just really connected with it; the design of it the world, the whole thing. So I actually bought an Xbox 360 to start researching what it was.”
So it seems he doesn’t know much about video games in general… Let’s hope he actually played through the entirety of the game and its sequel because I’m not nearly convinced he’s the right man for the job at this point.
Wiseman goes on to describe his plans for the film and its potential structure as a trilogy:
“It’s going to be much more [on the] science fiction side of it than the creature side of it. I’ve always been much more of a sci-fi action fan than a horror fan… The hope is that we’re wanting to do a three movies and really cover the bases on everything. Basically a harder edged Lord of the Rings.”
What does he mean “more on the sci-fi side of it?” By harder edged, does he mean rated R? I have an idea: Why not make the movie just like the game! Y’know, since it’s already structured and shot in a cinematic style. It’s literally already done for you, you just have to pick three two-hour segments that cover the story best and re-enact with live actors (and film it in the same way as the in-game cut scenes and action sequences).
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29 Comments
This one will have to win me over.
There has never been a good movie based on a video game
I hope Gears Of War is the exception to the rule.
I am Skeptical as far as how good this film will be…
Rob you played the game???
as far a quality of gameplay this game ruled as far as story telling it was kind of a dud…
Having played both editions of Gears, I would have to say that the only way to do this properly is for Wiseman to always have Predator and Aliens on set and make it a testosterone filled adventure with the GAME story, not a rehashing of the story like how the Doom movie portrayed! It is simple enough for a 120 minute picture with one or few turns.
However, if I were producing this then I would choose Paul Verhoeven for this project than Wiseman. Paul is perfect for this type of project and competent enough to deliver the goods! And, he can make a smart action-filled picture.
As for actors, they have to get bodybuilders or wrestlers or guys that are jacked! Needing ‘dramatic’ actors for this movie is just wrong. Please, go back to the 80s and get some testosterone in this picture! Imagine Ronnie Coleman as Coletrain (Damn!), Ron Kiskinger, hell, even WWE wrestlers Dave Bautista & John Cena!
Big Guns, Big Explosions, Big Action, Epic! Simple but effective!
S’funny…
I recently picked up an Xbox and got the original Gears of War game. It looks really cool, but I guess I’m not much of a gamer cuz I can’t even get out of the prison yard without getting myself and the other guy blown to the bejeezus belt and back!
On the other hand, I also picked up “Dead Space”. Very scary and really great gameplay IMHO.
Any Gears of War vets out there want to offer advice in not getting fragged? Suggestions gratefully accepted!
Now back to our scheduled programming…
After seeing Underworld 3, and mostly loving it, I have one piece of advice for Mr. Wiseman …
Move the freakin’ camera back so we can see what the h*ll is going on.
That was my only problem with U3. The fighting was filmed too close in and too quickly edited. Other than that it was tré cool.
Sorry, that should be Roland Kickinger, not Ron Kiskinger. He is played Arnold in his Mr. Olympia days and I think the body double for Arnold’s T800 model in T4.
@INK, really they put the camera in close? Ah-man, not that stupid Bourne-editing!
@ No Name Face,
Yeap I have both, beat them both and still play the second with some buddies (system link 4-player horde mode).
I think the story is fine and in the sequel it really picks up.
The important part is that it’s 4 (sometimes less, sometimes a little more) guys entrenched in something bigger then them and it’s more of an experience and a ride – The movie must follow that to be great.
They can start the story just like the game did and hit all the main plot points we see throughout the games.
The games set up a real detailed and believable world and a great enemy. When Wiseman talks “sci-fi” instead of “creatures”, that’s a big problem.
nice article and since you did a gears of war movie article then you should do a halo movie article
I am not a gamer at all and I don’t think I have seen a good videogame-to-film adaptation yet..
Can anybody name one…just one…
Please, i want Halo news
Doesnt there have to BE Halo news before it can be reported here?
yes, thats why i want to know if there is any. What better way to be informed than by having a reporter report it
I feel your pain folks. Unfortunately, there’s not been much news on several of the major game-movies that I’m hoping will break the videogame-based-movies-always-suck trend.
If you’re interested, Bruce did a nice piece of where the Halo film stands:
http://screenrant.com/halo-fall-of-reach-movie-brusimm-3924/
And one of my first articles for Screen Rant back in September was for Mass Effect:
http://screenrant.com/avi-arad-mass-effect-movie-rob-3747/
I guess we didn’t cover it, but I was going to do a post a while back about the Lost Planet movie which some producers were discussing not long ago – they were talking a big budget for that one.
This smells bad. I hope the Prince of Persia film will be good.
Wow… the fact that Wiseman can mouth off statements like that only shows how shallow he’s gonna keep the film a basis on. The only game-based film that was watchable I would say is “resident evil” and only the first one… Wiseman should really check on how DOOM was such a let down and horrible adaptation. There’s always potential for every adaptation… let’s hope Wiseman really taps into it and achieve what other directors have failed so far…
games are my life. cant live without them
Rob, I agree with your point! Even though Phoenix is the central figure, it really is about the four main guys put in this big adventure!
The other thing about this project is, just because the game is set in the future, does not mean it has to be sci-fi! Except for a few elements, Gears is far away from scifi, it is more a war picture than anything. Maybe, Wiseman should put his interests in reviving the Halo project if he wants to play around with science-fiction.
I’ll be very surprised if they don’t mess this up.
“nowhereman” what difficulty are you playing on?
Start off on an easier difficulty and work your way up. That first part should just be a training. Duck for cover.
Well with Cliff Bleszinski(Design Director of Epic Games) as a Executive Producer/Consultant, Wisemen shouldn’t mess it up too bad.
as Nick says,
If you’re finding you’re taking too many shots play more conservative until you you get more confidence as a killing machine
Stay back behind cover clearing out as many closer or imminent threats then move up – wash and repeat.
Once you get use to it and get past the big learning curve, you’ll be able to go anywhere and take out multiple guys in more risky situations with ease.
I cant think of one game to movie adaption that was watchable so Im hopeing this one will be the pearl among them. If not make Halo that pearl. Right off the bat though I dont like where he is going with this.
If this one tanks…we’ll still have HALF-LIFE… and if that tanks too, well ya might as well make a pong movie… cuz I’ll give up on VG movies…………
Screw Halo and screw Gears of War, what about a Half Life 2 movie??
Sorry, PC gamer here, don’t have enough money to buy another gaming rig with limited graphics, so I just play games on the PC I already have.
@ greenknight333
I like SOME games, but I’m FAR from being a gamer myself.
Thus far I can say that almost ALL attempts of trying to get a game to the screen failed miserably. Despite the rich material the source provided.
Anyway, there ARE exeptions:
“Silent Hill” was MUCH like the game and succeeded in bringing the same mood across.
“Resident Evil” was not half as bad as it deserved to be.
I have yet to see “Max Payne”. The trailers look good and faithful.
But I fell for that before … > “Hitman” (a friggin WASTE!)
I do have some faith in “Prince Of Persia” though.
My wife’s fave game and with Donnie Darko in the main role, it could turn out pretty decent.
Max Payne was nothing like actually playing the video game.
It wasn’t a horrible watch… it just didn’t do the game justice at all
No bullet time combat at all
there was one good game-movie i can think of which was silent hill, captued the game brilliantly and most of all the atmosphere of the game. i hope gears movie will be the same, the stoy is spot on already and u get a real sense of desperation in the game, for the movie to work it needs to capture the atmosphere and get u reli hating the locust, intense fight scenes and beefy huge actors for the main roles wiv sum dark comedy in there and itll be a winer, infact i need to F***k UP SUM LOCUST NOW, GOD DAM I HATE THEM B*STAR*DS ARGHHHHH BRING ITT!!!!!!!!!!
I wanna see the gears movie depending on the cast.. Cause if they bring in some Peon cast no one has heard of it’s gonna tank… You need well experienced actors and actresses to take on a role of a major game
They’re probably working on the bump-mapping as ahead of time since according to the game, every surface, even smooth ones, are bump mapped, lmao!
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