Aquaman himself – Jason Momoa – is set to star in a film version of hit video game Just Cause for director Brad Peyton, and we’ve been speaking to one of the film’s producers to find out why the time is right for a big screen adaptation.
Timely Story
The film will feature Momoa as Rico Rodriguez, operative for a mysterious organisation known as the Agency. Master and Commander scribe John Collee is writing the screenplay, which Deadline reports will deal with Rico’s “crisis of conscience while on a mission.”
Adrian Askarieh – who is producing through his Prime Universe Film banner – believes the story couldn’t be more relevant. Speaking exclusively to Fandom, he explains, “I think the Just Cause movie is more timely than ever. It seems as if the entire world is conflicted about what is “just” and what isn’t, and whom we should believe and whom not.
“The movie will first and foremost be big-screen entertainment, but it is important to have those real world subtexts which can help bring the story to life.”
Game History
The first Just Cause game was developed by Avalanche Studios and published by Eidos Interactive in 2006. It revolved around efforts to overthrow the dictator of a tropical island in the Caribbean, and spawned a pair of similarly-themed sequels, the most recent of which was published by Square Enix in 2015.
Regarding those making the movie version, Askarieh says he couldn’t be happier having Peyton and Collee behind the camera, and Momoa in front of it, adding, “They each bring a very unique set of skills which we hope will help make the Just Cause movie something very special and current.”
Before Just Cause, Peyton is shooting another video game adaptation in the shape of Dwayne Johnson-starrer Rampage, while Momoa will be seen as Aquaman in Justice League this November, and the character’s own standalone movie in late 2018.