Oscar-nominated ‘Dune’ writer Jon Spaihts going to Netflix’s ‘Gears of War’ film

Netflix announced Tuesday that Jon Spaihts, who wrote the 2016 Marvel Studios hit Doctor Strange, and received an Academy Award nomination for 2021’s Dune, will be behind the keyboard for its feature film adaptation of the bestselling Gears of War video game series.

The Gears of War series has sold more than 40 million copies, and centers on, “A society divided and on the brink of collapse” that “faces total extinction by the Locust, a monstrous threat from below.”

Enter Delta Squad, “a ragtag fireteam led by disgraced sergeant Marcus Fenix,” who is “charged with leading humanity’s last stand.”

Spaihts, who also wrote the script to 2023’s Dune: Part 2, noted, “Gears of War is one of the all-time great action games, with vivid characters, a beautifully designed world, and a combat system that drives home the lethality of war and the importance of standing by your squadmates. It wants to be cinema, and I’m thrilled to have the chance to help that happen.”

The Coalition, the creatives behind the games, said, “Jon is a master storyteller with a talent for creating epic science fiction universes and he truly loves Gears of War. We couldn’t ask for a better partner to honor our franchise and deliver an authentic story to our fans.”

Still no word yet on whether Dave Bautista, a superfan who once called Fenix “a dream role” — and whose face and voice could be swapped for the original star, John DiMaggio, in Gears 5 thanks to fan demand — is involved.

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