Mass Effect Movie in the Works

Andy Chalk

One Flag, One Fleet, One Cat
Nov 12, 2002
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Mass Effect Movie in the Works


Mass Effect [http://masseffect.bioware.com], BioWare's epic sci-fi videogame that looks like a movie, is now on its way to actually becoming a movie.

BioWare [http://www.legendarypictures.com/] co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk, along with Mass Effect Project Director Casey Hudson, will serve as executive producers.

The report claims that while a big-screen translation of Mass Effect would require a "massive commitment," the success of Avatar [http://www.amazon.com/Avatar-Two-Disc-Blu-ray-DVD-Combo/dp/B002VPE1B6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1276636916&sr=1-1] has demonstrated that audiences will "follow and invest themselves in non-human characters if given a reason to, which opens the door" for more films in which alien species and settings play a major role. Mass Effect, of course, features numerous alien races interacting in a galactic partnership in which humanity is very much a junior member.

I don't disagree that Mass Effect could be made into a great movie, I'm just not convinced that it should. I've begun to think that the reason videogame movies fail is simply that for the so-called "built-in audience," which is to say gamers, the experience is inevitably diminished. Why would I want to watch Shepard when I've already been Shepard?

Still, the prospect of a Mass Effect movie does have one undeniable upside: We get to play a new round of Cast That Film! Which is a bit of a hairy prospect itself since, as pointed out to me by a Concerned Fan, a lot of Commander Shepards out there are of the female persuasion. So I'm nominating Mickey Rourke [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000620/] for Wrex but beyond that, I'm pretty much out of ideas. Who's it going to be?


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Onyx Oblivion

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Sep 9, 2008
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Jade Empire movie next, please!

Who would play Henpecked Hou? And Black Whirlwind?
 

Bigeyez

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Apr 26, 2009
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I gotta say the big names that have already been attatched to this thing are pretty impressive. Would a movie be good? I doubt it, but if anyone can pull it off Legendary Pictures, Protosevich, and the Bioware workers can certainly do it.
 

high_castle

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Apr 15, 2009
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If they're smart, they won't try to adapt Shepard's story to the screen. Doing so would bug a lot of people, like those who played femSheps or anyone who made different choices than Movie!Shep. But the great thing about the ME 'verse is the depth to it. They could make a great film about first contact, for instance. And then it would be something of interest to both the gamers (who wouldn't have to see their personal canon defiled) and newcomers (who'd get a great intro to the franchise).

Then again, when's the last time you heard anyone in Hollywood do the smart thing>
 

Cherry Cola

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Jun 26, 2009
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I vote Daniel Craig as Shepard!

Mostly because my version of Shepard is inspired by him.


theaceplaya said:
I vote Nathan Fillion for Captain Shepard
MY OPINION HAS CHANGED!

This is the best option.

Although I think they should completely disregard what the fans want with the film in terms of casting or Shepard. There is too much diversity. Let this be more than a fan-service film! Take the bull by the horns!

Or the nerds. If that analogy makes sense.
 

FinalDream

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Apr 6, 2010
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theaceplaya said:
I vote Nathan Fillion for Captain Shepard
I was going to post that Shepard might not work as everyone has different ideas of what he/she might look like but you know what? Nathan Fillion FTW.
 

Eldritch Warlord

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Jun 6, 2008
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Andy Chalk said:
I don't disagree that Mass Effect could be made into a great movie, I'm just not convinced that it should. I've begun to think that the reason videogame movies fail is simply that for the so-called "built-in audience," which is to say gamers, the experience is inevitably diminished. Why would I want to watch Shepard when I've already been Shepard?

Still, the prospect of a Mass Effect movie does have one undeniable upside: We get to play a new round of Cast That Film! Which is a bit of a hairy prospect itself since, as pointed out to me by a Concerned Fan, a lot of Commander Shepards out there are of the female persuasion. So I'm nominating Mickey Rourke [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000620/] for Wrex but beyond that, I'm pretty much out of ideas. Who's it going to be?
If I have a vague notion about the way BioWare operates (and I like to think that I do) then any potential Mass Effect movie will NOT be based directly on any Mass Effect game. The player's story, no matter what it is, will be consistent with the movie.

As a result, Commander Shepard will not make an appearance. Anyone who could potentially die in Shepard's story will not make an appearance if the movie is set after their death.

If this movie ever hits theaters and I'm wrong feel free to point and laugh, I'll be far too shocked to notice.
 

HK_01

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Jun 1, 2009
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Just as I said in the user-created thread: NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Here's some reasons:

1) I can't think of a videogame based movie that was good(correct me if I'm wrong).
2) Mass Effect is all about choices and creating your own adventure. With a movie, they'd suddenly make one version the canon.

Eldritch Warlord said:
If I have a vague notion about the way BioWare operates (and I like to think that I do) then any potential Mass Effect movie will NOT be based directly on any Mass Effect game. The player's story, no matter what it is, will be consistent with the movie.

As a result, Commander Shepard will not make an appearance. Anyone who could potentially die in Shepard's story will not make an appearance if the movie is set after their death.

If this movie ever hits theaters and I'm wrong feel free to point and laugh, I'll be far too shocked to notice.
I certainly hope you're right with what you're saying.
 

Rainboq

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Nov 19, 2009
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The first thing that came to mind was "Of COURSE they're making a movie!"
 

Outright Villainy

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theaceplaya said:
I vote Nathan Fillion for Captain Shepard
Yes. YES [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3ALwKeSEYs].
Sounds like an interesting project, it's good to see video game adaptions becoming more ambitious at any rate.
 

Mrsoupcup

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Jan 13, 2009
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This LOOKS like a good idea. Then again, so did all the other video game movies. When are we going to have a tetris movie?
 

socialmenace42

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Rainboq said:
The first thing that came to mind was "Of COURSE they're making a movie!"
I quite agree, this was really quite destined to happen.

Perhapse it will be an interactive move with an inbuilt moral choice system...

Probably not...
 

LiquidGrape

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Sep 10, 2008
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Horrible idea.
What elevates Mass Effect beyond your average sci-fi fare is the ability to directly influence the proceedings. Take that away for the convenience of a linear narrative, and you're left with the wishwash storyline.
Let's face it; ME has a horrible story, and without the interactivity; without the incentive to play on and see what fate befalls the rest of the cast, I can't see myself even watching it as a TV-series.

What could work is to revamp the entire premise and let someone like Cronenberg have his way with it. Oh, or even better; David Lynch gets the job, casts Laura Dern in every part, and turns it into a three-hour long allegory for euthanasia.
At least it would be interesting.
 

Punisher A.J.

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Onyx Oblivion said:
Jade Empire movie next, please!

Who would play Henpecked Hou? And Black Whirlwind?
JACKIE CHAN for Henpecked Hou.....he makes a kick ass drunk.

I vote this guy as commander shepard.
 

Baby Tea

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Sep 18, 2008
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high_castle said:
If they're smart, they won't try to adapt Shepard's story to the screen. Doing so would bug a lot of people, like those who played femSheps or anyone who made different choices than Movie!Shep. But the great thing about the ME 'verse is the depth to it. They could make a great film about first contact, for instance. And then it would be something of interest to both the gamers (who wouldn't have to see their personal canon defiled) and newcomers (who'd get a great intro to the franchise).
This is exactly what I'm thinking.
The Mass Effect universe is so fleshed out, that they can do a huge, great story without even touching on Shepard, the Reapers, or any of that. Or, at least, leaving Shepard out of it. The story of Mass Effect in the game is one of those 'your story' stories, so they just can't do a movie on it (Well, can't do it well).

But, using existing lore and canon, they could totally make a new, fresh story. I love the 'first contact' story idea. Or the Skillian Blitz! Or something set in the two years between Mass Effect 1 and 2 (Then you could even have familiar characters)! The possibilities are great. I just hope they do it right.
 

Captain Pancake

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May 20, 2009
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All I know is that I'll love to see a meticulously rendered turian with an Avatar level of attention to detail. As for Commander Shephard...

That's pretty tough actually. He's such an iconic character on places such as these, it'd be sacrilegious to cast the wrong guy/girl. They'd need somebody with a more rugged nature, at least that's for sure.

Though they'll probably just pitch for Sam Worthington and be done with it.

LiquidGrape said:
Let's face it; ME has a horrible story, and without the interactivity; without the incentive to play on and see what fate befalls the rest of the cast, I can't see myself even watching it as a TV-series.
I'm going to have to disagree with you there. Both of the games had compelling enough storylines to keep me playing to find out what happened next, and they're both up there on my favourite videogame storylines.
 

Rainboq

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Nov 19, 2009
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socialmenace42 said:
Rainboq said:
The first thing that came to mind was "Of COURSE they're making a movie!"
I quite agree, this was really quite destined to happen.

Perhapse it will be an interactive move with an inbuilt moral choice system...

Probably not...
Suddenly thoughts of Futurama enter my mind...
Movie: If you want him to finish filling his paper work, press one, if you want him to race off to the fight in a hover ferarri and get into a gun battle press two.

*presses two*

Movie: You pressed one