Oscar Isaac has been cast to play Solid Snake in the upcoming Metal Gear Solid film – an adaptation of Konami’s wildly popular video game franchise. The film, which has been in various pre-production limbo stages for years, is written by Derek Connolly and directed by Jordan Vogt-Roberts. While the film's production schedule has yet to be announced, the casting report is a good sign of real, concrete progress.
Since the 1990s, Metal Gear Solid has stood as one of the video game industry’s preeminent franchises. Created by famed developer Hideo Kojima, the series follows superspy/soldier Solid Snake in his lifelong battle against a line of walking battle tanks called Metal Gears and the nuclear Armageddon they threaten. While the series began as a relatively grounded Tom Clancy-style military thriller, the story grew more absurd over time, eventually invoking everything from rogue AIs to actual ghosts.
According to a Deadline report, Oscar Isaac has been cast in the leading role of Snake for the upcoming film adaption. The announcement is the latest in a string of significant developments for Isaac, who will also be playing Marvel’s Moon Knight in the MCU. It’s unclear at this point which part of the Metal Gear story will be adapted for the film, though Isaac’s age would theoretically set it in the zone of Metal Gear Solid and Metal Gear Solid 2.
Given the games’ narrative focus and cinematic quality, Metal Gear has been a popular target for adaptation for many years. Vogt-Roberts is a self-proclaimed superfan of the franchise, and Kojima himself has given the director his blessing, saying that he’s perfect to bring Solid Snake to the big screen. Though video game movies have been tricky to pull off in the past, recent history has been relatively kinder to adaptations. With luck, Vogt-Roberts can continue that trend with Oscar Isaac at the helm.
Unfortunately, it may still be some time before production begins on the project. Isaac’s schedule is incredibly busy for the foreseeable future as his star continues to rise. The restrictions inflicted by the covid-19 pandemic mean any production is more challenging to get off the ground right now, so it could be a slower start than usual. The concept art Vogt-Roberts has released looks stunning, and with luck, it will turn into more concrete plans shortly. Until then, fans will have to imagine how Oscar Isaac will look in the iconic bandana of Metal Gear Solid’s Solid Snake.
Source: Deadline