Prime Video’s upcoming Fallout TV show has a lot riding on its shoulders. Director, writer, and producer Jonathan Nolan has a lot of experience working with culturally iconic franchises in the past. Fans are hoping his expertise and attention to detail will bring this live-action adaptation to life faithfully.
Now, the creators have taken the liberty of building an entirely new storyline, one that is not directly connected to any of the games in the franchise. But that’s not the only originality the show will bring to the screen. One inclusion they are going for has not been a thematic pillar in any of the games: humor.
Fallout Will Bring Thrills, Spills, and Smiles to Fans of the Games
Fallout games have never been known for comedy. That’s understandable; after all, surviving in a nuclear wasteland with roaches the size of dogs will do that to a person. While some characters do crack the occasional witty one-liner, the humor is typically quite dry and ironic. Nolan is looking to change that.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, the director spoke at length about the creative decisions taken to make the show a success. When asked about the dos and don’ts of portraying a post-apocalyptic world, Nolan shared how he started to play Fallout 3 when he felt burned out. What stood out to him was the ironic and satirical humor.
That’s when he understood that the Fallout world doesn’t need to be “dour.” It can be dangerous, scary, and whacky, but not necessarily austere. Indeed, even the interviewer described what we’ve seen so far of the show as having a “groovy retro-futurism aesthetic.”
Groovy is not what springs to mind when you think of a nuclear fallout, but that’s the vibe Nolan is going for. He even admits this is the closest he’s come to working with the genre of comedy in his career. Their MO is to simply shoot what’s written on the page, but with comedy, one needs to be more flexible to ensure the humor lands.
Nolan was Happy Embracing the Chaos While Shooting
For Nolan, Fallout is more than just the apocalypse. If anything, that’s a past event, and the magic lies in the freedom that comes after. The games allow players to adopt and follow any role, and he wanted the same freedom in the series. To him, the series is not about the end of the world, but the beginnings of a new one. One that can help people crack a smile during dire times.
Live-action adaptations generally don’t do well, and The Last of Us raised the bar significantly. Nolan stated he was happy with the success of the series, and it showed him that people are accepting of such a show as long as it’s done right.
The series is now just a couple of days away, and we are eager to see how Nolan’s vision has come to life. One thing is for certain: Fallout fans have something to tide them over as they wait for the announcement of a new game.
Will you be tuning in to the series at launch? Let us know in the comments below!
