Fallout is one of the many video game franchises that has received the live-action adaptation treatment from Hollywood and both Todd Howard and Jonah Nolan are feeling the pressure. Video game adaptations can be a hit or miss but the recent success of HBO’s The Last of Us gave them the boost and confidence they sorely needed.
Todd Howard And Jonah Nolan Are Teaming Up For Amazon Prime’s Fallout
Bethesda CEO and game director Todd Howard met up with Jonah Nolan for lunch which generated the idea of adapting Fallout into a live-action series, and that ambitious idea has a lot of pressure that comes with it. The task of turning a video game into another format is a daunting task but Nolan didn’t falter especially with the success of another adaptation of a beloved video game was met with high praise.
I was delighted. To your point, when Todd and I first sat down for lunch, the bar was not only not high, it was nonexistent — especially in the TV space. You would have people adapting a first-person game and [a studio would be like,] “So the show is going to have a first-person point of view.” No, that’s a grammatical tick of the game, that’s not how you adapt it. It’s always nice to be the first one. But when somebody makes something as good as The Last of Us, it makes it easier, because suddenly everyone understands what’s possible
HBO’s The Last of Us has been hailed as one of the best video game adaptations of all time, and the competition isn’t that fierce for that title yet. The curse of video game adaptations seems to have been lifted and Hollywood now understands how to properly use the material without butchering it for corporate greed.
Jonathan Nolan, a film director, shares a passion for filmmaking with his brother, two-time Academy Award winner Sir Christopher Nolan. Each of them excels in a specific format. Jonah worked on HBO’s critically acclaimed Westworld and now has his eyes set on adapting a video game to live-action.
Howard agreed with the collaboration as long as this series wouldn’t be a straight adaptation but an extension of the existing franchise, which gave Nolan a lot more creative freedom to take the show in any direction.
The Success Of The Last of Us Gave Jonah Nolan The Confidence To Work On Fallout
Both The Last of Us and Fallout are video games that are set in a post-apocalyptic world. The setting is a significant theme in these games and creates unique challenges for the characters and the creators of the games. Nolan has praised the success of HBO’s adaptation of The Last of Us, but he is actively seeking ways to differentiate his adaptation and capture the attention of fans.
The only takeaway from here is that there is no longer the need to be skeptical about video game adaptations. The success of The Last of Us has shown the world what a proper adaptation can be, and the combined efforts of Nolan and Howard will continue what HBO started. Although it would not hurt to be cautiously optimistic, having faith in showrunners who are fans of the franchise will guarantee a respectful interpretation.
Are you excited for Amazon Prime Video’s live-action adaptation? Let us know in the comments section below!
