The year is 2023, and the Destiny franchise is approaching its 10-year anniversary in September 2024. In the time since the original game was released in 2014, game developer Bungie has made slow but sure efforts to attempt to expand the franchise into other mediums, such as comic books and physical copies of the game’s lore tabs. While there has not been any progress thus far in bringing the franchise to the big screen, or even in television format, that may soon change.
Recent developments at Bungie, including the hiring of a former executive at Warner Bros. Discovery suggest that Bungie is looking to make a big-time expansion of its near-decade-old franchise that is approaching the end of its first major storytelling saga. This could include branching out into the film and television mediums, as well as perhaps a continued effort on the print media side of things as well in the form of books and comics.
With limitless potential on the horizon for the franchise, and a massive universe full of rich lore to expand upon, Destiny is undoubtedly the perfect IP for such a drastic move. There is an endless amount of possibilities for where television and film adaptations could go, and most importantly, there are a large number of genres that could be utilized to cast a wide net and bring in new fans. Here are a few areas of the universe that could potentially be explored.
The Golden Age
One of the most important eras of Destiny lore that players have never had the opportunity to witness firsthand is the Golden Age. When the being known as the Traveler first arrived in the solar system, it revolutionized the way humanity lived, both in terms of technology and life expectancy. Due to these rapidly increasing capabilities unlike anything seen in human history, the solar system, now made habitable by the Traveler’s light, was turned into a brand-new frontier for exploration.
The Destiny universe has never shied away from hinting at the great scientific achievements made during this time, and stories that explain the things humanity was able to accomplish would serve as a great prelude for anyone looking to get into the games. Fans could finally get to see more perspectives on how places like Europa and Venus were settled, and how the iconic locations in the games became established. The combination of magic and science fiction elements at the height of their use would make for a real visual treat, and allow such a production to stand out in the crowd.
The Collapse
Sitting right next to the Golden Age on the list of possibilities is The Collapse, which saw the arrival of the Darkness and the undoing of nearly everything that had been accomplished during the previous era. Destiny as a franchise has always had Western undertones, and a television show that takes place in an era of tribalism, skirmishes, and lawlessness would be able to fulfill the potential of this genre unlike anything seen in Destiny before.
The great part about a project like this would be the lack of limitations on perspective. Whereas a Golden Age show would really only be able to show the perspective of humanity, a show set during the Collapse and subsequent Dark Age could bring the arrival of enemy factions such as The Cabal and The Hive to televisions everywhere. The enemy races and factions in Destiny have just as many stories to be told as the heroes, and adding that layer of nuance to the universe by witnessing things from their perspectives would make things all the more interesting.
War Stories
In Destiny’s storytelling, especially in the first game, players are always being told of the great battles, such as the Battle of Twilight Gap, that all occurred off-screen before the player character was around. Along with Western themes, the Destiny universe has always had a very gritty aesthetic, with battle-ready armor pieces and weapons handed to players all the time. The world has been through a lot, including wars and devastating battles that lasted a long time.
This is where Destiny’s potential to be adapted into war films or shows comes into play. While the quieter, more eerie Dark Ages could make for a great drama series, the action-packed battles of Destiny deserve big, large-scale, bombastic representation as well. Why not make a miniseries about the Battle of the Six Fronts? A gritty war story about the last remnants of humanity being stretched to their very limits in order to defend the last safe city on Earth against all sorts of enemies would undoubtedly be captivating. Stories like these could even create new fans of the franchise, as those types of stories have an appeal that expands far beyond the fan base Bungie has already gathered with its games.
Destiny 2 is available now on Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.