‘Thief’ Movie in the Works Based on Popular Video Game Franchise

We’ve yet to witness a genuinely good film adaptation of a video game, though your mileage may vary when it comes to Silent Hill, the only arguably decent attempt thus far. And while we wait to see what Justin Kurzel and Michael Fassbender deliver with the promising adaptation of Assassin’s Creed, another popular game is set to make the leap to the big screen.

Per Deadline, Straight Up Films has acquired the rights to adapt the Square Enix video game series Thief, with Warner Bros.’ Roy Lee producing via his Vertigo Entertainment banner. Horror filmmakers Adam Mason and Simon Boyes (Hangman, The Devil’s Chair) will co-write the screenplay, and although Mason has helmed several films, he hasn’t been assigned to direct the Thief adaptation.

The game series debuted in 1998 with Thief: The Dark Project, and has since spawned a few sequels, including 2014's simply-titled reboot, Thief. Players take on the role of Garrett, a master of the titular trade in a fantastical Steampunk world that combines elements of the late Middle Ages and the Victorian era, though some technology is highly advanced. The 2014 reboot will be the main source of inspiration for the film adaptation. Here’s how that game is officially described:

Garrett, the Master Thief, steps out of the shadows into the City. In this treacherous place, where the Baron’s Watch spreads a rising tide of fear and oppression, his skills are the only things he can trust. Even the most cautious citizens and their best- guarded possessions are not safe from his reach.

As an uprising emerges, Garrett finds himself entangled in growing layers of conflict. Lead by Orion, the voice of the people, the tyrannized citizens will do everything they can to claim back the City from the Baron’s grasp. The revolution is inevitable. If Garrett doesn’t get involved, the streets will run red with blood and the City will tear itself apart.

A master thief, a highly-stylized city with elements of the Middle Ages…it definitely sounds like this project may have been kickstarted by the development of Assassin’s Creed.

Mason and Boyes’ horror films are often middling at best, so it will be interesting to see how they approach such an ambitious film, but with Thief over at Vertigo Entertainment, we’re probably not looking at a project with a massive budget. However, that limitation could inspire some creative thinking and result in a decent adaptation.