Netflix's Gears of War Movie Advances, Marcus Fenix Casting Still Unknown

David Leitch, the acclaimed director behind films like *Atomic Blonde* (2017), *Deadpool 2* (2018), *Hobbs & Shaw* (2019), and *Bullet Train* (2022), is reportedly in negotiations to direct the upcoming *Gears of War* movie for Netflix. This project is an adaptation of Microsoft’s popular third-person action game, and Leitch is set to produce alongside his partner Kelly McCormick and the game's developer, The Coalition. The screenplay is being penned by Jon Spaihts, known for his work on *Dune*.

It's been over two years since Netflix acquired the rights to *Gears of War*, and it seems the project is finally gaining momentum. In addition to the film, an adult animated series is also in development, planned to follow the movie's release. If the adaptations prove successful, there may be more *Gears of War* content on the horizon.

One of the most pressing questions surrounding the project is the casting of Marcus Fenix, the protagonist of the *Gears of War* series. Dave Bautista, a former wrestler turned actor, has publicly expressed a strong desire to portray Marcus Fenix and has received endorsement from the game's co-creator, Cliff Bleszinski.

The timing couldn't be better for video game adaptations, as seen with the success of films like *The Super Mario Bros. Movie*, *A Minecraft Movie*, and the *Sonic* series, all of which have set new benchmarks at the box office. Other notable adaptations include the *Uncharted* movie, the *Mortal Kombat* movie, and various *Resident Evil* films.

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In a recent statement, Microsoft gaming chief Phil Spencer expressed that the disappointing reception of the *Halo* TV series hasn't deterred the company from pursuing more adaptations of its video games. Spencer noted that Microsoft has learned from the *Halo* experience and is gaining confidence in this arena.

"We’re learning and growing through this process, which is giving us more confidence that we should do more,” Spencer said. He further elaborated that the company has also drawn lessons from the *Fallout* adaptation, emphasizing a continuous improvement approach. "We learned from doing *Halo*. We learned from doing *Fallout*. So all of these build on themselves. And obviously we’ll have a couple that miss. But what I’d say to the Xbox community that likes this work is, ‘You’re going to see more, because we’re gaining confidence and we’re learning through this.’ "

Meanwhile, back in the world of video games, The Coalition is actively developing *Gears of War: E-Day*, a prequel to the series, though a release date has not yet been announced.