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The Just Cause movie adaptation has landed a director: Michael Dowse.
The project has been in the works since 2017. Originally, San Andreas director Brad Peyton signed on to the movie, with Jason Momoa in the role of Rico Rodriguez. However, Peyton revealed that there was no script for the adaptation, and that he and Momoa weren’t available to take on a new movie until after 2019. Luckily, this gave Constantin Film and Prime Universe the time to source a scriptwriter and a new director, while Momoa stepped out of the spotlight.
Derek Kolstad has penned the script for the movie, and with credits on the John Wick series, he’s a very good fit for the big-explodey-kapow parts of Just Cause. On the other hand, Michael Dowse has directed movies like FUBAR, The F Word, Stuber, and Coffee & Kareem. With Dowse’s influence, the Just Cause movie is sure to not be too serious, which is a good approach to video game movies. The report from Deadline goes on to add that the plot follows a “a race-against-time mission to stop the mercenary group The Black Hand,” and that there will be a female lead protagonist accompanying Rodriguez.
The two leads’ dynamic is going to generate a “Romancing the Stone vibe,” and it’s not known who will play Rodriguez or his companion at the moment. Video game movies are on a roll right now, after a rocky track record. For example, Simon West’s Lara Croft: Tomb Raider isn’t that good… sorry. However, Roar Uthaug’s Tomb Raider is an enjoyable movie and a faithful interpretation of the game released in 2013. Justin Kurzel’s Assassin’s Creed was fine enough, and its Animus was inventive with what players experience in the series while grounding it in reality. And, Sonic the Hedgehog is the second highest-grossing film of 2020, just behind Bad Boys for Life.
