Oscar Isaac offers a Metal Gear Solid movie update, revealing the story is still being developed with a joke in reference to his character. The film is based on the video game franchise of the same name created by Hideo Kojima that puts players in the shoes of a special forces operative, typically that of Solid Snake or Big Boss, as they are embroiled in the search for machines known as Metal Gears. The large-scale bipedal walking tanks hold the ability to launch nuclear weapons, posing threats to the United States through the franchise's multiple-decade-spanning timeline, beginning in the Cold War and going to the near future.
First launching in 1987, the Metal Gear Solid franchise is considered one of the most successful to date, helping both pioneer and popularize the stealth genre before the Assassin's Creed and Splinter Cell games. The series has since expanded to other mediums, with a film adaptation languishing in development hell for over 15 years. The Metal Gear Solid movie seemingly began picking up in 2014 as Kong: Skull Island's Jordan Vogt-Roberts was brought on to direct and later in 2020 saw Oscar Isaac tapped to star as Solid Snake, though it sounds like ground has yet to be gained.
While appearing at the red carpet event for Moon Knight, Oscar Isaac spoke with IGN for the long-gestating Metal Gear Solid movie. Though the star couldn't give much of an update on the project, Isaac revealed that the filmmakers are still developing the story for the movie, jokingly referencing one of his video game character's mechanics in regards to the ongoing development. See what Isaac shared below:
“We’re searching, we’re searching like Solid Snake. We’re climbing through air ducts, we’re looking for the story.”
Prior to Vogt-Roberts being brought on to the project, a Metal Gear Solid movie had undergone a variety of incarnations, including a pitch from Solid Snake actor David Hayter, but has long struggled due to Konami's concerns that a movie could affect video game sales and Kojima being disinterested in helming an adaptation himself. Even since the Kong: Skull Island director was brought on, multiple scripts have been delivered from multiple writers, beginning with The Girl in the Spider's Web's Jay Basu and most recently from Detective Pikachu co-writer Derek Connolly. Vogt-Roberts last confirmed a script draft for the Metal Gear Solid movie had been completed in December 2019, though reports of Isaac's casting as Solid Snake in December 2020 indicated a script was still in the works.
Though Isaac's Metal Gear Solid movie update may speak to the project continuing to struggle in the development cycle, but at the same time isn't the most devastating news to hear. Both Vogt-Roberts and Isaac have expressed their desires to keep the movie as faithful to Kojima's original vision in the games as possible with the latter previously saying he signed on because he loves the source material. Not only does Isaac's Metal Gear Solid movie update point towards his continued excitement to bring Solid Snake to the screen, but it also indicated his continued desire to ensure the best adaptation possible.
Source: IGN