CBS set to adapt the dystopian, cyberpunk-themed videogame Deus Ex

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

It looks like videogame movies are coming back in a big way. Following the recent news of a Michael Fassbender-starring ASSASSIN’S CREED, CBS Films has announced that the studio had picked up the film rights to the DEUS EX series. Terry Press, co-president at CBS Films had this to say on inking the deal:

“As is clear from the wild success of the game, Square Enix and Eidos-Montréal know how to exceed their audience’s expectations by engineering incredible worlds. No one knows Human Revolution like the team that created it, and we look forward to working with them from day one to make a film adaptation worthy of the Deus Ex name.”

Roy Lee and Adrian Askarieh will produce, with John P. Middleton executive producing. The good news is that Askarieh was involved with videogame adaptations before. The bad news – it wasn’t a particularly good one (HITMAN). While the DEUS EX franchise has been around for over a decade, I’m guessing it was the staggering success of the latest installment, HUMAN REVOLUTION, that worked as a major incentive. Here’s its official synopsis:

The cyberpunk- influenced Deus Ex: Human Revolution occurs during the year 2027, 25 years or so prior to Deus Ex. Nanotechnological augmentations have yet to be produced and structural augmentations are classified as the latest technology. The key character, Adam Jensen, is a individual security official with Sarif Industries, a number one firm who specializes in human augmentations. Following he witnesses an assault on his firm which results in him horrifically wounded and made to undertake augmentation to live, “the conspiracy starts.” The player is going to go to 5 cities during the period of Deus Ex: Human Revolution, such as Detroit, Montreal along with Shanghai. Additionally, the character can have his own condo where he could keep his important things as well as gathered info. The occasions in the game will certainly lead to the formation of UNATCO from the original game.

While the series is primarily known for its unique gameplay mechanics and the level of freedom it grants the player, its story and setting could certainly make a good movie. We’ll look forward to learning more on the project.