A new report from Variety has revealed the next piece in the puzzle for the upcoming Netflix live-action film adaptation of Gears of War, the flagship Microsoft third-person sci-fi action franchise. According to Variety, the film will be penned by Jon Spaihts, an Academy Award-nominated writer who is notable for this work on blockbuster films like Dune (2021), Marvel’s Doctor Strange (2016), and Prometheus (2012).
Spaihts also served as an executive producer on Dune, and is performing both roles once more for Dune: Part 2. He is also serving as an executive producer on the upcoming film adaptation of Minecraft, starring Jason Momoa.
The Netflix adaptation of Gears of War was first announced by the company in November 2022, where the streamer also announced plans for an adult animated series.
Read: Every major video game adaptation in the works at Netflix
In a statement to Variety, Spaihts remarked that ‘Gears of War is one of the all-time great action games, with vivid characters, a beautifully designed world, and a combat system that drives home the lethality of war and the importance of standing by your squadmates.’
‘It wants to be cinema, and I’m thrilled to have the chance to help that happen.’
The series revolves around a far-future war between humankind and a hostile alien race called the Locust, with the original game focusing on protagonist Marcus Fenix and his squad as they attempt to execute a last-ditch mission to destroy them. It’s known for its relentless action, desaturated art direction, heavy-set characters, and assault rifles that have chainsaws on them. The inception and development of the series was led by notable game designer Cliff Bleszinski, during his time at Epic Games.
On the recruitment of Spaihts, Gears of War developer The Coalition released this statement:
‘We’re thrilled to partner with Jon and the Netflix team to bring “Gears of War” to life. Jon is a master storyteller with a talent for creating epic, science-fiction universes, and he truly loves Gears of War. We couldn’t ask for a better partner to honor our franchise and deliver an authentic story to our fans.’
Elsewhere, Gears of War developers The Coalition are beginning to staff up to create the next mainline game in the long-running franchise.
