On the 16th anniversary of the release of the original Gears of War, Netflix announced a partnership with The Coalition to adapt the blockbuster video game franchise into a live action feature film. The movie will then be followed up by an adult animated series with the streaming service hinting at the “potential for more stories.”
The Gears of War video game trilogy focuses on the conflict between humanity and the subterranean reptilian hominids known as the Locust Horde on the world of Sera.
The first Gears of War game was released on November 7, 2006 for Xbox 360. It followed protagonist Marcus Fenix, a soldier in the Coalition of Ordered Governments, as he leads a last-ditch effort to destroy the Locust Horde and save humanity. The two follow-up sequels added a third entity into the conflict – the Lambent, semi-sentient mutants made up of any living organism infected by Imulsion.
Today’s announcement wasn’t accompanied with any specific details such as who will direct or star in the project. Guardians of the Galaxy star Dave Bautista once described Marcus Fenix as a "dream role,” so it will be interesting to see if Netflix explores this casting.
It’s also unclear if the Netflix adaptation will stick closely to the video games or if it will explore other aspects of the conflict between humanity and the Locust Horde and, perhaps, introduce new characters into the mix.
Series creator Cliff Bleszinksi, who is no longer involved in the Gears of War video game franchise, had a succinct response to the announcement.
Gears of War has been one of Xbox's most successful franchises. Across its five main entries and several spin-offs, the Gears of War franchise has sold more than 40 million copies.
Netflix has leaned more into adaptations of popular video game franchises of late. The streaming service has put out adaptations of Resident Evil, Castlevania, Cuphead, League of Legends, Cyberpunk, and The Witcher, to name a few. While there have been multiple attempts to bring Gears of War to the big screen, Netflix could finally make it happen.