Another popularvideo gamefranchise is headed to the big screen!Just Cause, the action-adventure video game series,has landed at Universal Pictures after being in development hell for a decade. With the project finally moving forward, the studio hopes to replicate the massive success they had withThe Super Mario Bros. MovieandFive Nights at Freddy’s, which cleared $1.4 billion and $290 million, respectively at the worldwide box office.
PerThe Hollywood Reporter, producing partners behind Universal’s recently releasedThe Fall Guy, Kelly McCormick,and David Leitch, will produce theJust Causevideo game adaptation through their 87North production banner through their first-look deal at the studio. The projecthas also landed a director in Ángel Manuel Soto, who helmedBlue Beetlefor Warner Bros. to critical acclaim. Solidifying the video game connection will be the producing team of Dmitri M. Johnson, Mike Goldberg, and Timothy I. Stevenson, who have worked on adaptations ofTomb RaiderandSonic the Hedgehog.
A Just Cause Movie Adaptation Has Been in Development For a Decade
Getting aJust Causemovie adaptation rolling hasn’t been easy. The project has been invarious forms of development for a decade, first being developed by Constantin Film. Brad Peyton and Derek Kolstad were also involved at different points during the development process, but the rights ultimately lapsed, allowing Universal Pictures to swoop in to shoot their shot.
Video game adaptations have often been considered not all that viable from a critical standpoint, but lately, they have seen a resurgence in terms of box office.Mortal Kombat, released as movie theaters were trying to rebound due to the pandemic, did decent business for Warner Bros. theatrically but ultimately became theirbiggest film on the HBO Maxstreaming service at the time of its release. For Universal, they saw massivereturns fromThe Super Mario Bros. Movie($1.4 million globally) andFive Nights at Freddy’s(a record $80 million opening and a $290 million global gross). These adaptations have a built-in fanbase that could potentially lead to a box office windfall.
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Just Causewas created by Avalanche Studios and originally published by Eidos Interactive before being picked up for publishing by Square Enix’s External Studios in 2009. Drawing its name from the real-life code name"Operation Just Cause"from the United States invasion of Panama, each game has a player attempting to overthrow a governing body. The series has four entries to date, and they have shipped 15 million copies globally.
