Talks of a Just Cause movie adaptation have been ongoing since 2010, but nothing concrete has ever come from it. But now it appears progress is finally being made.
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Universal Pictures has landed the rights to produce a movie based on the popular action-adventure video game series from Square Enix and developer Avalanche Studios. Blue Beetle director Angel Manuel Soto is set to helm the adaptation.
The story details remain under wraps, but seeing how it is based on a video game franchise with four titles thus far, we can get a general idea of what to expect.
Just Cause is a series of action-adventure video games primarily set in the islands and archipelagos. Each game takes place on a different fictional island nation, but players always control the character Rico Rodriguez, an operative for an organization known as the "Agency" and a regime change specialist.
The series debuted in 2006 with Rico Rodriguez being dropped into the Caribbean Island of San Esperito. Throughout the game, Rico works to overthrow the island's dictator, President Salvador Mendoza, dismantling his regime and eliminating the Black Hand mercenaries who have been hired to oppress the island's citizens.
The most recent game in the series was 2018's Just Cause 4. In this, Rico arrives in the fictional nation of Solis to take down The Blanck Hand, the world's biggest private military.
As all of the games in the series revolve around overthrowing some sort of evil entity, we can probably expect a similar plotline for the movie. Story aside, the games are known for their massive set pieces and explosive combat, so there should be no shortage of blockbuster action scenes.
The latest games also see Rico rely heavily on a wingsuit and grappling hook to traverse the islands, so I wouldn't be surprised if those are featured at some point.
The Just Cause games have been a mixed bag in terms of critical and commercial success. The latest game in the franchise received mixed reviews while selling fewer copies than expected. Publisher Square Enix revealed that the number of copies sold did not cover the development cost.
This doesn't necessarily mean that Just Cause wouldn't make for an amazing movie though. It has all the elements of a summer blockbuster and with the right star attached, it could perform well at the box office.Not to mention, video game movie and television series adaptations are all the rage right now thanks, in large part, to the success of Illumination's The Supe Mario Bros., Max's The Last of Us, and Paramount's Sonic the Hedgehog, to name a few.