Every week there seems to be a new frontrunner in the chase to be the first video-game-to-film adaptation that becomes a real gamechanger and proves that the medium can be continually mined for interesting content. Here’s the new flavour of the week.
Just Cause, a video game franchise that begun in 2006, is set to be adapted into a film with Aquaman star, Jason Momoa, set to star. He’ll headline as protagonist Rico Rodriguez, while San Andreas director, Brad Peyton, will direct and John Collee (Master And Commander) will write the script.
How this will work, I’m not sure. Just Cause and its sequels focus on Rico, who, using his expert grapple hook skills, is tasked with toppling a dictator who is rumoured to have weapons of mass destruction all while blowing a lot of things up. And I mean a lot.
It’s a big open-world, action/adventure game, so it’s ripe for some huge CGI’d scenes of pure carnage, but the plot is relatively thin and could be a stumbling point.
The film will reportedly take most of its influence from the most recent release, Just Cause 3, which prided itself on having a gigantic surface area for players to explore. It’ll be interesting to see how Peyton explores this kind of scale within the film world. Will this be the video game adaptation to finally break the mould, or are they cursed and destined to be wasted potential?
Jason Momoa is currently filming the solo Aquaman film and will appear in Justice League later this year, while Peyton has signed on to re-team with Dwayne Johnson for another video game adaptation, Rampage, so it’s unclear when Just Cause will begin pre-production.
#Peace.Love.JustCause
