Netflix's Gears Of War Movie May Have Found The Perfect Director

The drums of battle are sounding (or, one might even say, the gears of war are turning) for a live-action adaptation of the third-person shooter video game "Gears of War." The game series began in 2006, and it has a new installment, "Gears of War: E-Day," which was just announced to be in development last year. While the games have showed no signs of stopping, the prospect of a film adaptation of the series has been bandied about for almost as long as the series has existed, with New Line Cinema reported to have the rights way back in 2007. The adaptation then went through a rotating roster of directors, screenwriters, and studios through the years before eventually ending up at Netflix in 2022.

Now, finally, the musical chairs game of potential filmmakers seems to have stopped, with the directing duties falling upon David Leitch, whom The Hollywood Reporter is saying is in negotiations to helm the "Gears of War" movie. If this deal is made, Leitch and his producing partner (and also wife!) Kelly McCormick will produce the movie through their 87North company in conjunction with The Coalition, the video game company that owns and manages the game series. Jon Spaihts, the screenwriter who's worked on "Prometheus," "Doctor Strange," and Denis Villeneuve's "Dune" duology, will be penning the script.

While no further details are available, just this little announcement seems pretty darn promising for "Gears of War." For one thing, it makes it that much more likely that a film version will actually, finally be made, which is a victory for the property given its decades-long gestation. For another, Leitch's attachment is encouraging for fans of the game and fans of action cinema in general, as his (and 87North's) filmmaking style is not only invigorating and winning, but also isn't so opulent that the film should be in danger of getting postponed again.

The plot of the "Gears of War" games is one that would seemingly lend itself to a large-budgeted blockbuster extravaganza. In the games, a hulking soldier by the name of Marcus Fenix, leading a team of elite killers known as Delta Squad, has to fight for the future of humanity itself against a horde of underground beasties known as the Locust. It's the sort of setup that would seem like catnip to the likes of Michael Bay, James Cameron, or Ridley Scott, filmmakers whose penchant for largesse on and off screen is now the stuff of legend. Although Netflix is seemingly bullish on turning "Gears of War" into a multi-pronged franchise for the service — they plan on following the live-action film with an animated series, and then further projects after that — their choice of Leitch speaks to some savviness with which they're approaching the movie.

Leitch and his old 87 Eleven pal Chad Stahelski were instrumental in the American action cinema revolution begun by 2014's "John Wick," and they've since individually gone on to make and produce a series of action films that aren't necessarily looking to be billion-dollar blockbusters, but have a swagger to them nonetheless. With "Deadpool 2" and "Hobbs & Shaw," Leitch has proven that he can take a pre-existing series and continue its success while making it his own. With last year's "The Fall Guy," he even proved that he can resurrect an old IP and infuse it with charm, freshness, and verve. As McCormick told me in an interview from 2022, she and Leitch have primarily been interested in keeping the Cannon and Carolco-style action films of yesteryear alive, movies that are at least somewhat modest in scope and budget while sacrificing none of their action or impact.

All this means that, though Netflix has become notorious for its spending habits, a Leitch-directed "Gears of War" will likely be able to bring both the scope and the visceral feel needed for such an adaptation to work, let alone get made. It's an exciting prospect, so for fans of the games and action/sci-fi/horror movies, one hopes that the marriage of Leitch and "Gears" actually sticks.