Big things are coming to streaming platforms in the coming years, especially in the world of adaptations.
For one, the long-benched “Gears of War” movie has finally found its director, one who won’t shy away from any action-packed goodness. Meanwhile, the first official image of the highly-anticipated “Spider-Noir” series has been released, alongside some juicy news. All that and more in today’s article.
David Leitch Tapped To Direct “Gears Of War” Movie
After years of silence, a director for the proposed movie adaptation of “Gears of War” has finally been named! After a lengthy behind-closed-door discussion, Netflix has finally secured David Leitch to direct one of Xbox’s biggest game franchises. For those unaware, Leitch is known for his work in creating action-packed hits such as “The Fall Guy,” “John Wick,” and “Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw”.
Furthermore, it has also been confirmed that Jon Spaihts, known for working alongside Denis Villeneuve in bringing the recent “Dune” movies to life, will be penning the script for the coming adaptation. It has also been confirmed by Netflix that the company and Spaihts will be working alongside The Coalition Studio, the Canadian game developer that brought the original franchise to life.
It has also been reported that Leitch and his wife and producing partner, Kelly McCormick, will help produce this film through their joint production company, 87North Productions. The Coalition will also contribute to funding the film and help bring it to life.
With all these details, one can’t help but be intrigued by what Leitch and Netflix discussed behind closed doors, but unfortunately, it will stay under wraps as both parties refuse to comment on the deal. This is incredibly interesting, especially since Netflix has been trying to develop the movie since it got the rights to it back in 2022. However, the streaming giant refused to share any major updates about the production until Dave Bautista himself called out and pressured the company to release new information about the project earlier this year.
We can only speculate if this long delay and eventual call-out resulted in this almost secretive discussion. What we do know is that the movie is in good hands, as both the director and writer have had an incredible track record with recent films, specifically for gritty sci-fi war movies filled with over-the-top stunts and action. How it will turn out, only time will tell.
MGM+ & Prime Video Unveil Images Of “Spider-Noir”
It’s been a hot minute since Nicolas Cage donned a supersuit, but it’s nice to see him back in the saddle once again! As you may have known, ever since his showing in the beloved animated movie “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” as Spider-Man Noir, the veteran actor was given the rare opportunity to bring the titular character to life in its very own live-action film.
With the hype surrounding the project, several behind-the-scenes and production images have already been leaked online, namely, shots of Cage in costume on top of set items, but never an official image. That is, until today. After months of waiting, MGM+ and Prime Video finally unveiled the first official shot of the highly-anticipated film at Amazon’s annual upfront presentation last Monday. Though the image is in black and white to stick to the noir theming of the show, it has been confirmed that the series will be available in both black and white and colour to suit the audiences’ tastes.
Based on the Spider-Man Noir Marvel comic, the series is about “an ageing and down-on-his-luck private investigator (Cage) in 1930s New York, who is forced to grapple with his past life as the city’s one and only superhero.” Though no official release date has been announced, it has been confirmed that the series is set to drop in 2026 and will be available to be streamed on MGM+ and on Prime Video.
But it won’t just be Cage who appears on the screen; Lamorne Morris, Brendan Gleeson, Abraham Popoola, Li Jun Li, Karen Rodriguez, and Jack Huston will also be there. Additionally, it has been confirmed that the series will feature guest stars such as Lukas Haas, Cameron Britton, Cary Christopher, Michael Kostroff, Scott MacArthur, Joe Massingill, Whitney Rice, Amanda Schull, Andrew Caldwell, Amy Aquino, Andrew Robinson, and Kai Caster.
For those behind the camera, it has been confirmed that Harry Bradbeer will direct and executive produce the first two episodes of the series. Oren Uziel and Steve Lightfoot will serve as co-showrunners and executive producers, while Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Amy Pascal, Aditya Sood, and Dan Shear will be on board as executive producers. The fact that the show has eight – count ’em – eight executive producers demonstrates that this is going to be a big series which is setting itself up to be one that we won’t soon forget.
Sources: Amazon, Netflix, The Hollywood Reporter, IGN
