A live-action Gears of War movie has been discussed for decades but now, the cogs are finally turning. Netflix is moving ahead with a feature film and we’ve got the full rundown on the very first details.
It’s hard to believe 19 years have passed since Gears of War first made an impact on the Xbox 360. All these years later, the franchise is still among Microsoft’s most popular, to the point that a PlayStation port is now arriving in 2025. Who would have thought?
While we’ve seen a litany of sequels and spinoffs over the years, the original that kickstarted it all is still hailed as one of the most iconic third-person shooters ever. With its snappy cover-to-cover combat, over-the-top lancer violence, and surprisingly moving storyline, the game has remained a fan favorite.
Now, it’s set to make a splash in an entirely new medium. After years of false starts, a Gears of War movie is officially going ahead at Netflix. Here’s everything we know thus far.
Is there a release date?
No, it’s far too early for there to be a release date. The Gears of War movie hasn’t yet started shooting, and given the no doubt extensive post-production work down the line, it’s likely a few years off at the very least.
We’d wager Netflix won’t have the Gears of War movie finished until late 2027 at the absolute earliest. Rest assured, we’ll update you here as timetables fall into place and production gets underway.
Who’s involved with the Gears of War movie at Netflix?
As The Hollywood Reporter first noted, David Leitch is in talks to direct the live-action Gears of War movie. While Leitch is largely known for his stunt work, he’s come into his own as a director too, having helmed the likes of Deadpool 2, Bullet Train, and The Fall Guy. He’s also a producer on the John Wick series.
Meanwhile, Jon Spaihts is reportedly set to pen the script, after finishing his work on Dennis Villeneuve’s Dune trilogy. He also has earlier credits for Doctor Strange, Prometheus, and many others.
As for who may appear in front of the camera, nothing has yet been confirmed. The original Gears of War game focuses on Marcus Fenix and his squadmates. They’re all physical behemoths, so expect to see some muscular actors cast for these roles.
Obviously Fenix is the most important as the story’s protagonist, but there’s no looking past Cole, Baird, and the ever-loyal Dominic Santiago. We’ll just have to wait and see who gets picked for these iconic roles.
Is Dave Bautista in the Gears of War movie?
Championing the franchise perhaps more than anyone has been ex-WWE superstar turned actor Dave Bautista. From his early days on screen, Bautista has been begging for a chance to portray Marcus Fenix on the big screen.
Although he’s been shouting from the rooftops for well over a decade at this point, and even appeared in Gears 5, there’s no guarantee his wish will come true.
At the time of writing, Bautista is 56 years old. Should Netflix have hopes of turning this into a series of films, he may have unfortunately missed the window to take the lead role.
Regardless, we’re rooting for Netflix to do the right thing and give him a spot in the movie at the very least.
What will the Gears of War movie be about?
The idea of the Netflix adaptation is to cover the events of the first game. While details are light for the time being, we don’t expect core changes to the narrative. Rather, it’s set to be a faithful recreation of the opening act of the series.
This means we’ll be dropped right into the midst of the Locust war on Sera. In particular, we’ll be following Marcus Fenix and his squad as they fight back against the forces of General RAAM.
General RAAM is the antagonist of the original Gears storyline.
If succesful, Netflix is reportedly hoping to spin Gears of War off in other ways, including with an adult-oriented animated show, much like Castelvania or Devil May Cry.
For now, that’s everything we know about the live-action Gears of War film. It’s still early days yet but rest assured we’ll be updating you here with all the latest details as they emerge.
