Brush up on your tough guy act, grab yourself a bullet belt, and be sure to check your wing suit for snags, because it's been announced that JOHN WICK creator-writer Derek Kolstad has been hired to help launch an adaptation of Avalanche Studios and Square Enix's over-the-top action video game franchise, JUST CAUSE.
Constantin Film is also gearing up for the project, with producing partner Adrian Askarieh of Prime Universe Films ready to grapple onto Kolstad's wild ride and hang on for dear life. Askarieh, who believes that video game-to-film adaptations are a viable market for today's movie-going public, has been involved with the Just Cause property for over a decade, and now that Kolstad and Constantin are game, it sounds as if we could be headed toward a bonafide blockbuster for the bombastic bullets and bad guys action-adventure.
As forthe specifics of Just Cause, the four game franchise centers on Rico Rodriguez, a man on a mission to thwart the efforts of a deadly band of mercenaries who refer to themselves The Black Hand. Throughout the series, Rico runs, drives, sneaks, and grapples his way through a series of outrageous scenarios, with much of his efforts ending in a crescendo of fire and shrapnel.
Constantin Film’s Robert Kulzer and Prime Universe Film’s Askarieh will produce the feature alongside Kolstad, with Constantin's Martin Moszkowicz and Square Enix acting as executive producers.
Could Kolstad be precisely what the video game-to-film market needs to convince audiences that game-related movies aren't already a lost cause? After all, it's not like video game adaptations have the best track record at the cinema. Perhaps with the JOHN WICK brand serving as a spotlight on his good name, Kolstad will be able to revolutionize the industry with his keen eye for over-the-top action, wicked hand-to-hand combat sequences, and an insatiable blood lust for head shots. We'll have to wait to find out, but hot damn this is promising news!