The film adaptation of the worldwide video game phenomenon, Metal Gear Solid, has received a production update from its producer after years of silence. The news comes after several beloved game worlds found immense success on the silver screen, ushering in what many believe to be the golden era of video game adaptations.

The first entry of the Metal Gear series launched in 1987 and has since spawned a sprawling franchise, garnering widespread critical acclaim and is regarded as a landmark in the pantheon of video games. Serving as one of Konami's flagship franchises, Metal Gear has delved into different mediums, including comics, novels, and even a radio drama. The games were applauded for their cinematic style, given series creator Hideo Kojima's deep and personal affection for films, and eventually found themselves in the position for a Hollywood film adaptation before succumbing to development hell. Now, the long-gestating project has had some light shed on its current state given by one of the film's producers.

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Speaking with Brian Crecente in his newsletter, Game, film producer Ari Arad revealed that the Metal Gear Solid film adaptation is alive and well. "We're working on the script some more, but I can't talk about it yet," Arad said. "I think everyone's going to be really excited and surprised." Arad further notes that "getting Metal Gear right will obviously be amazing because it's a lot more meditative than some of the other adaptations. Personally, I want it to be terrific."

The Metal Gear Solid film has been in development hell for nearly two decades but made strides toward production in 2020 when Oscar Isaac was set to play Solid Snake. Kong: Skull Island director Jordan Vogt-Roberts was tapped to direct a script penned by his Kong collaborator and Detective Pikachu scribe Derek Connolly, with Sony Pictures handling distribution. Isaac has reportedly departed the project and updates on the film have stagnated in recent years.

Since boarding the adaptation in 2012, Vogt-Roberts has been transparent with his involvement on Metal Gear Solid and often shared details on what his vision would entail, including targeting an R-rating and not having the story strictly follow a specific entry in the series. The director has also affirmed his intention to preserve Kojima's vision as much as possible and recognized why some video game adaptations failed to resonate with audiences, noting a disregard for the source material. In addition, the director shared concept art of the film, showcasing the games' inherent blending of hyper-realistic and supernatural elements.

Given the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, The Last of Us, and Fallout, video game adaptations have since come a long way from where they were a decade ago. With a passionate key creative like Vogt-Roberts at the helm of the Metal Gear Solid film, the series could finally have the film adaptation it deserves.

Metal Gear

The Metal Gear series was originally produced by Konami and features an iconic set of characters like Solid Snake, Liquid Snake, Sniper Wolf, Psycho Mantis, Raiden, and more. The franchise has seen a variety of spin-offs but the main series is a third-and-first-person stealth game that has players using a variety of characters across many complex and action-packed storylines.