BioWare explains why the Mass Effect movie fell by the wayside
"It felt like we were always fighting the IP."
There was once a Mass Effect movie in the works. In 2010 EA sold off the film rights to Legendary Pictures, with then BioWare bosses Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk set to work as executive producers alongside former Mass Effect chief Casey Hudson. But it failed to materialise. Why?
In a recent interview with Business Insider, BioWare lead writer Mac Walters explained what happened.
"It felt like we were always fighting the IP," he said. "What story are we going to tell in 90 to 120 minutes? Are we going to do it justice?"
Walters said Legendary then saw a change in leadership that sparked a shift towards television, and the producers thought it best to start the project over. "But then it never picked up again after that, not for lack of trying," Walters said.
That's that, then. But Walters retains hope. It's "not a matter of if, but when" Hollywood returns to Mass Effect, he believes. And TV "is the way to do it" for the telling of Mass Effect's fleshed out story.
With the recently-released Mass Effect Legendary Edition well-received and a new game in the series in development, perhaps the powers that be in TV land will come calling again soon.
If they do, who should play Commander Shepard?