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We knew a Helldivers movie was in the works—and that the game’s developers were (jokingly, sorta) hoping to attract A-list actors to meet grisly fates as part of the story’s space marines-fighting-aliens action. Well, now there’s an A-list director attached who could help make those dreams come true, and his hiring lets us know just how serious Sony and PlayStation are about their Starship Troopers heir apparent: it’s Justin Lin, who made five (almost six) Fast & Furious movies.
High-stakes action? Lin can handle that. Stylish violence? Check. Outer-space stuff? Indeed, he also directed Star Trek Beyond. And if you want a director able to wrangle ensemble casts made up of big-name talent, Lin has quite a bit of experience doing that just from those two franchises.
Lin’s most recent film, this year’s independent drama Last Days, was a departure from his Hollywood trajectory, so Helldivers signals he’s moving back into the big-budget action-movie realm.
The news of Lin joining Helldivers was reported first by the Hollywood Reporter, which noted he’ll also produce. The script is by Gary Dauberman, a horror veteran (Annabelle, The Nun, It Chapter Two) who also penned this year’s horror video game adaptation Until Dawn.
According to THR, “Lin is not a gamer and leaned into that as a strength when pitching his take on the material, said insiders. He aims to find the humanity in the characters and weave timely themes into the story while building out a world and mythology. There are plenty of details waiting to be drawn in, something that is compelling to the filmmaker.”
The trade also points out that Lin remains attached to the One-Punch Man manga adaptation, as well as the Keanu Reeves comic adaptation Brzrkr. There’s no word yet on what order the busy filmmaker will make these projects, or when Helldiver might be expected in theaters.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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Source: Gizmodo