Mass Effect movie rights optioned by Avi Arad
"Mass Effect" has started its journey to the big screen. Numerous sources have confirmed that producer Avi Arad has optioned the rights to Bioware's sci-fi RPG from the developer's parent publisher Electronic Arts.
Turning "Mass Effect" into a movie, or at least trying to do so, is pretty much a no-brainer. Even those who didn't love it would have to admit that it has a lot more meat to its narrative than most games. You've got a hard-ass protagonist, a crusty bureaucracy trying to hold him back, a motley supporting cast, a hugely diverse (if a bit similar looking) bunch of settings, and an alien invasion fueled by technology that nobody but our hero fully understands.
Those are certainly a lot of standard elements for a science-fiction movie. Though "Mass Effect, rather intriguingly, has a main character whose look and personality and even gender can, to some extent, be shaped by the player. So the makers of a movie will have to figure out just who exactly Commander Shephard is.
Arad was for a long time the head of Marvel's movie business, where he helped start the new wave of actually good comic book movie franchises like "X-Men," "Spider-Man," and "Iron Man" (OK, there was "Spider-Man 3" and "Elektra" and "Ghost Rider," but there's still no denying Marvel movies are much improved). Now he runs his own production company and has been getting into videogame adaptations, starting recently with "Lost Planet."
Both EA and Arad declined to comment, but it's a good bet that Avi is right now trying to put together the elements to get a movie going, including a writer, director, and most importantly, setting it up at a studio. When and if that happens, we'll have a lot more insight into just what kind of a movie "Mass Effect" might be.
As for EA, this fits well into its strategy of turning its fully-owned games into multi-media properties (witness the "Dead Space" direct-to-DVD movie, comic books, etc.) Not that there was really any doubt when it spent $860 million to buy Bioware and Pandemic, but I'd say a movie deal is even more evidence that "Mass Effect 2" is in on the way from EA.
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Chris Morris reports on the business and culture of video games and offers analysis of recent events and industry trends.
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Keith David MUST be Captain Anderson in the movie. Again, no discussion. The vocal connection is already there.
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Posted by: maca andina | November 18, 2009 at 02:25 PM
Gotta love the comments on this. My favorite was the guy claiming to want to buy the rights to the movie from Avi Arad. Anybody that interested who says: "money is no object" wouldn't have to resort to posting here to contact Avi Arad (Avi will most definitely never read this). Or, the guy begging Avi Arad for a main character role but calling Mr. Arad "ago arad"... Priceless.
Posted by: Micheal West | November 18, 2009 at 10:46 AM
Would be very interesting to see "Mass Effect" as a movie.
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Two Stipulations:
1. Seth Green MUST be Joker in the movie. Hands down; not discussion here. No one else can do it.
2. Keith David MUST be Captain Anderson in the movie. Again, no discussion. The vocal connection is already there.
Also, while it's not a requirement, some lesser known actors might be good for members of the squad. And as much as I hate to admit it, Michelle Rodriguez would be a great match for the role of Ashley Williams.
Posted by: Adam G. | October 31, 2009 at 04:04 AM
Hi I am just writing to say making a mass effect movie would be amazing but This message is to ago arad listen I'm really interessed in this film but I want to be in the film that would be my dream to be in it and I would love to be a main character init and I will help you with the film so please may you put me in the film my email address is flamereid@hotmail.co.uk so plz add it and we will disscuss this
Posted by: Rhys Reid | October 28, 2009 at 03:31 PM
Matthew Fox bears resembelence but Jim Caviezel as Shephard would be amazing. Scenes w/ him in a space get-up in "Outlander" (crap movie, i know) looked like it had been taken straight from mass effect. Despite the poorness of that particular movie Caviezel is defintly a quality actor.
Couldnt find a body shot of the armor but heres a top half pic:
http://outlander.solsector.net/images/Kainan_Armor.jpg
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Mass effect will make one hell of an amazing movie even anyone who has never heard of it will love it. the only problems i have is the people to play them. Commander Sheppard should be played by the man who does his voice and so on for most of the characters. most like wrex can be cg and have the same people do them if they make the cg characters look just so super real. then that would make it all amazing. the people who do aliens could be the aliens with makeup and the right voices. that is the only way mass effect could get better than it would be in theatres. if you want contact information to discuss the movie to a game contact me jda_at57@yahoo.com And to Avi Arad if you are reading this i would like to purchase the rights from you or go into it with you by buying half of the rights with you. Money is no object so contact me or if anyone truely knows him. Thanks.
Posted by: John Alexander | October 11, 2009 at 09:47 PM
Matthew Fox would be the logical choice for the role of Commander Sheppard. He would be perfect!
Posted by: Jerry Cooper | September 21, 2009 at 10:52 PM
I think a great commander sheppard would be played by Matthew Fox. He has the looks and Build. Hes a very good actor. Thats my opinion.
Posted by: Jerry Cooper | September 19, 2009 at 05:58 PM
Though "Mass Effect, rather intriguingly, has a main character whose look and personality and even gender can.
Posted by: look | August 30, 2009 at 11:45 PM
get the a guy who looks like the guy in the picture would be the best choice i think to play the commander
Posted by: matt | July 25, 2009 at 11:11 AM
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Posted by: wd | July 09, 2009 at 06:30 PM
The Mass Effect world is massive! I would like to see a movie, no question....they would probably have to do it as a trilogy. What I think would be amazing is a Mass Effect TV series done like Battlestar Galactica was done. So much material could easily fill in a good 5 seasons if not more!
Posted by: Shane | July 05, 2009 at 01:25 PM
Hmmmm... Well you can be a male or female in Mass Effect.. I think some people are gonna judge the male gendre when the game releases. Like i wanted a Female Shepard and stuff like that
Posted by: kamas | June 08, 2009 at 01:19 AM
Great game, and it would make a great movie. I wonder what gender the Commander is gonna be.. And if they're gonna include any of the romance in the game, which is a high possibility. Great future for this movie in my op.
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Posted by: holic online money | March 11, 2009 at 10:05 PM
the obvious choice would probably have to be matthew fox. he looks exactly like shepard
Posted by: Eduardo | February 28, 2009 at 06:59 PM
the movie doesn't have to be based on the game. Neither book had much to do with the game. i'd like to see different events from the same time line or events from the first contact war.
Posted by: erin | January 30, 2009 at 04:59 PM
Enough with the video game movies. 99% of them are downright awful. Stop it, please.
Posted by: Eric | September 22, 2008 at 08:15 AM
Mass Effect is a great story. From its well written dialog, the games characters and character development will entice all who watch. I'm currently in my third run through on its game platform. To have Mass Effect become a movie will be quite epic. Its handling and development of advanced cybernetic life, such as the Geth, is sure to steal the interest of all futurist. I do hope for Mass Effect's future. I do hope it becomes one very incredible larger-than-life movie; one that will surpasses even the intricacy of Chronicles of Riddick.
Posted by: Robert | September 21, 2008 at 10:42 PM
Hmmmm... Well you can be a male or female in Mass Effect.. I think some people are gonna judge the male gendre when the game releases. Like i wanted a Female Shepard and stuff like that
Bur i think its awesome im playing the game for the 3rd time already
Posted by: Wes | September 19, 2008 at 12:32 AM
Marvel movies haven't improved...still garbage
This movie has great potential
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