A film adaptation of Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid appears to be finally underway at Sony, 20 years after it was originally announced.
Film and TV adaptations of video games are bigger than they’ve ever been, even if they’re not necessarily better, but one project has been stuck in development hell for decades.
A live action Metal Gear Solid movie was first announced way back in 2006, by series director Hideo Kojima. The director of Kong: Skull Island, Jordan Vogt-Roberts, became attached to the project in 2014, with Oscar Isaac in talks to play Solid Snake, but after years of hearing nothing about it, many assumed it had been canned altogether.
However, it appears a Metal Gear Solid movie might actually be happening now at Sony Pictures, albeit led by new directors.
As confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter, Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein, the directing duo best known for Final Destination Bloodlines, are now set to helm the Metal Gear Solid movie adaptation at their newly-launched company Wonderlab.
Speaking about the announcement, the duo said: ‘Metal Gear Solid was nothing short of a groundbreaking cinematic masterpiece that forever revolutionised video games. We are thrilled and honoured to bring Hideo Kojima’s iconic characters and unforgettable world to life.’
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They might not be the obvious choice for a Metal Gear Solid film, but they’ve become hot property in Hollywood thanks to the critical and commercial success of Final Destination Bloodlines. The horror sequel racked up $317.8 million (£236.4m) worldwide on a reported $50 million (£37m) budget, and put the franchise back on the map.
The big caveat with Lipovsky and Stein being attached is it’s unclear when the film could be made. The duo are also working on an animated Venom movie, and co-writing the new Gremlins film, so a possible Metal Gear Solid movie still feels like a faraway prospect.
Hideo Kojima hasn’t commented on the news, but it’s unclear if he’d be involved following his exit from Konami. Kojima might also be preoccupied with the planned Death Stranding film he’s working on with A24, which is set to be directed by Pig’s Michael Sarnoski.
Beyond that, Kojima is also working on a Death Stranding animated series for Disney+, which is set to be released next year.
There hasn’t been a new mainline Metal Gear Solid game since 2015’s Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, but following the departure of Kojima, Konami has released Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 and last year’s remake Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater.
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