'Mass Effect' video game on way to movie screen (exclusive)

Legendary Pictures has picked up rights to “Mass Effect,” the Electronic Arts-BioWare video game. Mark Protosevich, the scribe who wrote “I Am Legend” and worked on “Thor,” is in talks to pen the movie, which will be produced by Avi and Ari Arad as well as Legendary’s Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni.

“Mass,” which debuted in 2008, is an epic sci-fi action game set in the year 2183, focusing on a human soldier and his starship, the SSV Normandy. The galaxy-spanning story involves a long-extinct race of aliens, dormant beacons and more alien species than you can shake a lightsaber at. 

A sequel to the game was released in January.

The project is still in the early stages of development, though any game-to-screen undertaking would require a massive commitment. So far, humans vs. aliens movies have tended to be set on Earth, which makes those films easier to shoot while making them relatable for mass audiences.

One of the by-products of the success of “Avatar” has been showing that moviegoers will follow and invest themselves in non-human characters if given a reason to, which opens the door for more alien movies.

The players involved all have experience in undertaking giant-sized production. Legendary’s credits include co-producing such tentpoles as “The Dark Knight,” “300” and the recent “Clash of the Titans” remake. Avi Arad is the former chairman of Marvel Studios, whose Arad Prods. is developing a feature film version of video game “Drake’s Fortune.”

CAA-repped Protosevich is known for his large-scope sci-fi work. In addition to “Legend” and “Thor,” the scribe worked on remakes of “Stranger in a Strange Land” and “The Bride of Frankenstein,” both still in development at their respective studios, and is writing the English-language translation of “Old Boy” for Mandate.

Tull called “Effect” “ripe for translation,” saying it had “depth, compelling characters and an engaging back story.” Arad described the game as “a parable whose conflicts mirror the ones we currently face in our own world.  This story emphasizes the need for all cultures to learn to work together.”

Casey Hudson, who exec produced the game series, said BioWare always “thought ‘Mass Effect’ was perfectly suited to be a motion picture,” while Pat O’Brien of UTA-repped EA said the game was seen early on as having cross-over potential by EA Entertainment, whose mission is to take key EA titles and develop new ways to expand their audience. 

“Effect” will fall under Legendary's co-production and co-financing agreement with Warner Bros., who will distribute the film worldwide.

BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk will serve as executive producers, as will Hudson.

For a glimpse for what is "Effect," here is the operatic trailer for "Mass Effect 2":

Comments

[Austin]

Hollywood Fact: That video is voiced by Martin Sheen.

[Kyle]

I have faith that this movie(s) will actually do justice to the greatness of the franchize. Casey Hudson and Ray Muzyka won't let them fail.

[Jake]

This movie better be good.

Btw, Natalie Portman(V for Vendetta) BETTER BE CAST AS JACK!

[Stagg R. Lee]

There is NO way this is going to be good. Whoever wrote this article needs to go back to school. Try a degree in journalism, skip the business classes this time!

[Mb]

I'm unclear on that part as well. Legendary Pictures has funded a lot of the better comic book \ action movies in the last few years - both of Chris Nolan's Batman Movies, 300, Watchmen, Superman Returns, Where the Wild Things Are, etc.

Frankly, that sounds like an excellent choice to develop a Mass Effect film. It might even not suck.

[Nik]

Superman is a superhero for another time. He just doesn't fit into today's culture. Superman's biggest nemesis is his own sense of justice. He could crush Lex Luther's face like a raspberry, but he won't.

There's no struggle, no depth, no motive with him. He's a one dimensional godmodded boyscout. The only real bit of tension in any of the Superman movies was in Superman II when he gives up his powers and then has to deal with the Kryptonians.

During the cold war, I can see how the red threat could make the idea of a nearly invincible all-american boyscout seem appealing, but today it's become passe'. Recently, more of the anti-heroes have been gaining mass appeal; Wolverine, Batman, Iron Man... superheros that skate on the edge of laws, morality and justice. It seems that recently, we like our superheroes to be a little more, well... human.

[Shaun]

Wolverine is just as powerful and two-dimensional (he can't die and he is driven by... amnesia, I guess? Or he was, but not anymore?) as Superman, but we like him because he is written well. When Superman is written well, he is enjoyable. There is nothing wrong with the character, just the writer. And maybe the editor. And publisher.

But there can't be anything wrong with a character, since a character is just an idea waiting to be implemented in a thought experiment.

[r4 dsi]

I had played this game and it is most wonderful game. Now movie yeah, sounds interesting. This movie better be good.Avi and Ari Arad both are great producers. Dying to watch this movie as soon as possible. Hope people love this and story goes great.

[El Derrico]

I loved the two Mass Effect games. I have to admit, to produce a movie the magnitude of the video games would be a huge undertaking, both in development and cost. It kind of perplexes me why anyone involved would want to reproduce it into a movie? The risk of the movie failing with the millions of dollars it would take to make it is staggering. Remake Ghostbusters or something. Much better investment.

[strelok]

hope shepard in this movie is set to be female and in that case kristina loken, hwo looks like the female default shephard in the game should get the role as shepard

[Mp3 Player]

I must say this is the best movie news I have read all year. This is one of my top favorite games of all time and to have people compare it to star wars is amazing. I also think matt fox would ruin the film they need someone that has a almost military look to them. But other than that it should be an epic triligy that will be talked about for years if done right

[Gina]

This is really good news! :-)
However, if Shepard is in this movie, it'll kind of ruin the whole thing with him/her, seeing as everyone who's ever played the games has their own image of Shepards gender, class, look and personality.
I think they'd better come up with a new hero for the movie. I'm hoping to see the NPC's in the movie though, especially the non-human ones. This could become a really great movie!

[Seth]

Shepard should be played by Matthew Fox... considering they nearly look the same, and he played Jack Shepard on Lost.... yeah.... the perfect choice.

[Gigi]

Oh this is such a terrible terrible idea. Half the fun of this franchise is making individual choices and seeing what happens to your own personal version of Shepard. If they just cast some generic boring dude as Shepard, there is no way in Hell I'd consider going to see it.

The only way this could possible work is if they start an entirely new story set in the Mass Effect universe, and never refer to Shepard's gender (the way it's handled in the books).

[Lou Dean]

Dude no way man thats like totally insane.

Lou
www.complete-anonymity.at.tc

[Personage]

Must see. I'll be waiting

[TheTruth]

Better star seth green as joker. if not, im not seeing it

[Bryan]

Matthew Fox from LOST would make an excellent male Commander Shepard.

[Dinnertable]

Hopefully, this WON'T revolve around Shepard, because that's what the games are for. There are plenty of areas yet to be explored, such as First Contact or Saren and Captain Anderson's conflicts together in the Spectres.