Gears of War, one of the biggest video game franchises on the Xbox platform, is heading to Netflix.
The announcement comes after long months of negotiations in a competitive environment, with the streamer nabbing the media rights and partnering with The Coalition, the Canadian game developer behind the franchise. It also comes on the franchise’s 16th anniversary; the first Gears of War game was released on Nov. 7, 2006.
Netflix has grand ambitions for the title and a plan that includes first adapting the video game saga into a live-action feature followed by an adult animated series. If everything turns up roses, more stories would follow.
No filmmakers or producers are attached to the projects, with the video game franchise getting a fresh start after several big-studio attempts at adaptation.
The game is set on a planet on the brink of societal collapse when a monstrous threat in the form of underground creatures known as the Locust take humanity to the verge of extinction. Delta Squad, a ragtag fireteam led by disgraced sergeant Marcus Fenix, is now charged with leading humanity’s last stand.
With over 40 million copies sold across six installments plus spinoffs, the franchise is considered one of gaming’s richest and most well-regarded sagas, with a passionate fan base.
Hollywood has been trying to get in on the Gears action since 2007 when New Line briefly nabbed the rights. The Netflix deal must be particularly satisfying for film head Scott Stuber, who was attached to produce an adaptation when he was an independent producer in the mid-2010s. That iteration was set up by Universal but never got past the screenwriting phase.
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