An abundance of video game adaptations have hit the big and small screens over the years, but one franchise that surprisingly hasn’t made that jump is Metal Gear Solid. On the surface, it’s an IP that feels ripe for the Hollywood treatment, with its cast of memorable characters and compelling stories of tactical espionage, but nothing has come to fruition yet. That hasn’t been for lack of trying. There have been attempts to get a Metal Gear Solid movie off the ground for a while, and now a new filmmaking duo has been recruited to bring Solid Snake to life on the big screen.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Final Destination Bloodlines directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein have signed on to helm a Metal Gear Solid adaptation. The project is part of the pair’s new first-look deal with Sony. Avi and Ari Arad remain onboard as producers. There’s no word on a production timeline for Metal Gear Solid, and no release date has been set as of this writing.
Image Courtesy of Konami
Normally, the news of new directors becoming attached would be an encouraging sign for the film’s prospects. If Sony is locking Lipovsky and Stein in for Metal Gear Solid now right after inking a first-look agreement with them, the takeaway could be that the project is a priority for the studio. That said, a Metal Gear film has been in development for the better part of two decades now, so things haven’t exactly moved smoothly on this front. Lipovsky and Stein are just the latest filmmakers to become attached. Back in 2014, Jordan Vogt-Roberts was in line to direct, and obviously nothing materialized there.
Additionally, it’s not as if Lipovsky and Stein have a clear schedule. After the success of Final Destination Bloodlines (which earned a franchise-best $317.8 million worldwide), the two have parlayed their newfound clout into a variety of fresh opportunities. Earlier this year, it was revealed the two would direct and produce an animated Venom movie for Sony. The Hollywood Reporter piece also mentions an “original sci-fi epic” called The Earthling that they will direct and produce. Lipovsky and Stein only have so much time on their hands, so there’s a chance at least one of these projects falls by the wayside. Depending on how things unfold, one could emerge as the top priority over the others.
Metal Gear is a very recognizable and iconic brand name that carries a lot of weight. Given the increasing prevalence of video game adaptations (there are several currently in development just for Prime Video alone), it would make sense to push Metal Gear Solid to the top of the to-do list. The IP was recently in the spotlight with the well-received remake Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, introducing a new wave of fans to the franchise. Moving forward with a film adaptation now would be a way to strike when the iron is hot. That said, Marvel is always a priority for Sony, so Venom could push Metal Gear to the back burner for now.
Thanks to creator Hideo Kojima’s unique sensibilities, the Metal Gear games are inherently cinematic (the series has even made multiple references to films). In that sense, it’s strange an on-screen adaptation hasn’t happened yet, and history isn’t necessarily on Lipovsky and Stein’s side here. Still, the producers could just be waiting for the right opportunity. In the past, Ari Arad has emphasized how important it is to get the film right, so they’re being patient with development. Now that a pair of directors Sony is obviously excited about is onboard, maybe it’ll be full speed ahead.
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