After a full three years of radio silence, Netflix is finally doing something with that Gears of War license it scooped up back in November 2022. And they’re not playing around. According to The Hollywood Reporter, David Leitch—the man who turned heads (and snapped necks) with John Wick, Bullet Train, and Deadpool 2—is in talks to direct the live-action adaptation. Also, Jon Spaihts, the Oscar-nominated screenwriter behind Dune, is writing the script. So, this isn’t going to be your average video game cash-in. Netflix is clearly stacking the deck with serious talent for their live-action Gears of War movie adaptation.
For the longest time, Dave Bautista has been campaigning to join a Gears of War movie. And now that things are moving forward, he’s made it clear (again) that he’s all in. On Sunday, 18th May, he posted a clip of himself fully suited up in COG armor, captioned with: “I can’t make this any easier.” The man isn’t hinting—he’s practically yelling.
Naturally, the video exploded—37,000 likes and over 5,000 shares in under 24 hours. Clearly, fans want this to happen, and, honestly, it’s hard to argue after seeing the clip. Bautista is Marcus Fenix. The square jaw, the bulk, the gravel voice—he looks like he was printed directly from Epic Games’ art files.
For those unfamiliar with the plot, the Gears of War movie will focus on Delta Squad, a team of worn-down, battle-hardened soldiers led by disgraced sergeant Marcus Fenix. Their mission? Stop the Locust—a race of underground monsters trying to wipe out what’s left of humanity on a collapsing planet.
If you’re getting flashbacks to Hulu’s Halo, relax. This isn’t that. Leitch has a proven track record when it comes to adapting genre fare with style and muscle. Whether it’s the slick gun-fu of John Wick or the neon mayhem of Atomic Blonde, he knows how to turn action chaos into art.
So, what’s next? Netflix hasn’t confirmed casting yet, but ignoring Bautista would be criminal.
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