Even with the exciting news of a Metal Gear Solid movie being in the works, there’s always the fear that the iconic video game series could be diluted in its leap to cinemas.
Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts’ latest update on the project, though, won’t have you retreating inside a cardboard box for a furious Codec call and a cry: he’s aiming to bring the franchise’s legendary stealth gameplay to the big screen.
Speaking to EW, Vogt-Roberts’ outlined his plan to "create a new type of action on screen that also is based in the quietness of the stealth."
Perhaps hinting at a Shadow Moses infiltration, he said there’s a sense that "knowing that every step you take as you go further into the belly of the beast" you will go "further away from safety."
Music to the ears of Metal Gear Solid fans, then. The director is a long-time fan of the series, and, alongside conjuring up the adaptation’s blend of stealth and bombast, is currently wrestling with "the active experience of playing a game" and shifting it to the “passive experience of watching a film."
"Those aren't one-to-one translations," Vogt-Roberts explains. "So, I think you really need to understand when playing a game what it elicits from you, why it makes you feel certain ways, what the tone that it evokes is."
It’ll certainly be a challenge in adapting Hideo Kojima’s rich, complex (and often very long) cutscenes and action sequences. Something that will probably cause less consternation for the director is his choice to play Solid Snake.
Oscar Isaac is stepping into the sneaking suit of the video game icon – but his schedule is looking packed for the foreseeable future. The Star Wars and Dune actor will be portraying Moon Knight in an upcoming Disney Plus series and is also likely set to voice Spider-Man 2099 in 2022’s Into the Spider-Verse sequel after his post-credits appearance in the original.
Vogt-Roberts, meanwhile, has also spoken of his desire to bring back Solid Snake’s original voice actor, David Hayter, for an animated series.
The game series may be slumbering, but it seems The Best is Yet to Come for those looking for a brand-new Metal Gear experience.
Find out what movies are heading your way this calendar year with our movie release dates guide. Plus, as Prime Day nears, be sure to check out the best Prime Day TV deals so you can beat the rush.
