Well it’s about damned time. I totally get that there’s a huge red flag over any video game property when it comes to adapting to other mediums but it still seems criminal that it took 16 years for Gears of War to have a real shot at a live-action adaptation. The game itself was revolutionary at the time with it’s completely rad cover and fire mechanics. It seems simple now but having the ability to duck behind cover, fire from that cover, then vault over and attack the bad guys was brand new and game changing. Video game jargon aside, this game was simply made to be adapted, it just OOZES with cinematic sci-fi horror written all over it. Let’s see….awesome lead character name? Marcus Fenix, check. Memorable weapons? Assault Rifle with a chainsaw bayonette anyone? An unstoppable force our hero must battle with impossible odds? Have you seen the locusts? Yeah, that’s a check.
Still, with everything going for it we’ve learned not to just assume something is going to be knocked out of the ballpark. If this was Sony or WB picking it up I would not be so excited but Netflix? Netflix KNOWS genre film, and that is exactly what this needs to be. Not a blockbuster action starring the Rock but a gritty hardcore genre film (starring Dave Bautista because he literally is Marcus Fenix). I’m confident they know how to deliver this in a proper package.
If you had any reservations you can just look at the wording for the follow up animated series that will follow the film, which is specifically marked as an ADULT animated series. Of course, it’s super early in the process and my fanboy colored glasses are still on so take this news and do with it what you will. The truth is Netflix has only just acquired the rights, no directors, actors, writers, attached so this thing could still go anywhere…hell, I could be writing next week about how Uwe Boll has signed on to direct. God…..I hope not.
