Fallout is the latest video game franchise to receive the Hollywood treatment of getting a live-action adaptation series and Bethesda CEO Todd Howard is committed to the idea. Howard has set some parameters for series director Jonah Nolan about what to include and what they shouldn’t.
The show is not a direct remake but an extension of sorts that gives both Bethesda and Amazon Prime Video to work on its projects freely and creatively.
Todd Howard Made Sure The Fallout Series Will Not Use The Same Ideas For The Next Game
Adapting one form of media to another can be a challenging task. That’s why Howard decided that the upcoming series should be entirely new, rather than a remake or adaptation. However, this creative freedom could potentially clash with concepts that are intended for the next installment of the Fallout game series, which may give the impression that the two projects are copying each other. To avoid this, Howard has established some guidelines for Nolan to follow.
“Well, there were some things where I said, ‘Don’t do this because we are going to do that in Fallout 5,’”
Nolan understood the assignment and went on to develop something original with showrunners Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet.
“It wasn’t the translation of an existing story. It was, what would the next thing be? It just happens to be a TV show.”
The television series allowed the franchise to grow in other formats and be introduced to a newer audience who are more inclined to sit and watch rather than interact with the original games.
Especially with the recent surge of successful adaptations like The Last of Us, Nolan can work in confidence knowing that a proper adaptation is now fully possible with the right people on board.
Amazon Prime Video Showrunners Have Insider Information About Fallout 5
Collaborating with other creatives requires a level of trust, and Howard allowed Nolan and his colleagues to learn about the upcoming game to ensure the TV series team is aware of what they can do and what to avoid.
“We know all about Fallout 5, we’re not telling anyone,”
Nolan is a long-time fan of the franchise and being able to contribute to a degree that is on par with Howard’s work on the games is a dream come true. The CEO of Bethesda even gave him full authority and freedom to add his creative flair and take the series somewhere the games have not before.
Many producers have tried and failed to bring popular games to the big screen and failed repeatedly but the success of HBO’s adaptation is an invitation for others to do so in earnest. Fortunately, Craig Mazin who served as the director and creator of The Last of Us show teamed up with the original director Neil Druckmann, and the result was perfection.
Todd Howard is also involved with the show and Nolan’s love for the franchise should remove the skepticism of fans knowing that the franchise is in safe hands. Are you planning to binge all episodes of Amazon Prime Video’s Fallout? Let us know in the comments section below!
