Having found success with live-action adaptations of One Piece and The Witcher, Netflix is now looking to delve deeper into the benefits of this format.
Up next will be a live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender but the streaming platform will be looking at two video game franchises to chart the future- Gears of War and BioShock.
The BioShock project has been in development since August 2022 while Netflix has been developing Gears of War since November 2022.
Francis Lawrence is directing the BioShock film from a script written by Logan and Blade Runner 2049 screenwriter Michael Green.
Gears of War is being developed by Dune writer Jon Spaihts. WWE wrestler-turned-actor Dave Bautista, who previously lent his likeness to the Microsoft shooter, has expressed interest in starring in the project.
Recently, Collider caught up with Netlfix Head of Films Scott Stuber to get an update on where the two projects stand.
Stuber stated, "You know, Bio, we're waiting on the script. So we're in that kind of phase. The strike slowed us down quite a bit. That one and Gears of War, too, I'd really like to push on. I mean, Gears of War I was the producer on when I was a producer, so to bring it full circle has been great for me to get back together with the guys at Microsoft. So those are two really big ones that I feel aspirationally. There are huge audiences. As you know, that kind of medium, they don't translate always, and historically, as an industry, we've screwed it up quite a bit. But both those have really rich worlds, have really good characters, so they're very natural kind of transitions to screen and filmmaking."
Before Stuber signed on at Netflix he was set to produce a Gears of War film for Universal that never materialized.
As the interview continued, Stuber was asked about the status of the scripts for the projects to which he shared that they don't have any yet. Development was slowed down by the recent WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. However, they do have extensive treatments for both projects.
Said Stuber, "We've done long treatments. [T]here's a lot of people that we wanna make sure feel good. Inevitably, when you're making those, first and foremost, you gotta make sure the fan base is good, right? So you're working with the creators, you're working with the teams who make the games. We've worked out a lot of that, so now we've got great writers, and I feel like, hopefully, we'll be on the road once we get those drafts."
Though it sounds like both projects are still in their early stages of production, don't be shocked if casting begins in the latter part of the year, provided Netflix is able to secure a finished screenplay that meets the needs of all relevant parties.