Traditionally,video game movieshaven’t been very good, but Disney is going to make one anyway — and it’s bringing Star Wars along for the ride. The same week that Timothy Olyphant trashedhis ownHitmanadaptationand theSonic the Hedgehogflick was delayed to give filmmakers time to fix itsnightmarish main character,Buzzfeedbroke the news that writer Laeta Kalogridis (Altered Carbon,Shutter Island) has almost finished a script based onStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
Knights of the Old Republic, a role-playing game byMass Effect,Dragon Age, andBaldur’s GatestudioBioware, came out for Xbox and PC in 2003, and it takes place about 4,000 years before the events ofStar Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope. In the game, you play as an amnesiac Jedi who’s drawn into the war between the Galactic Empire and the Sith Lord Darth Malak. The game quickly became a classic thanks to its creative use of familiar Star Wars tropes, its well-rounded characters, and one of the best plot twists in Star Wars history.
Knights of the Old Republicwas followed by anexcellent but unfinished sequelas well as an MMORPG,Star Wars: The Old Republic, which launched in 2011 and is still receiving regular updates. It also spawned a handful of tie-in novels and comic books.
Buzzfeed claimed that Kalogridis’ script is the first of a planned trilogy, although it didn’t specify whether theKnights of the Old Republicspin-off is a film, a TV miniseries, or an animated project.
Previously,Game of Thronesshowrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, whoseStar Wars trilogywill begin in 2022, were rumored to be working onKnights of the Old Republic. It’s not clear whether Kalogridis’ script is related to Benioff and Weiss’ movies or not, although Buzzfeed noted that Kalogridis began writing in 2018 whenGame of Throneswas still in full swing.
Going to the video games for inspiration is an interesting move by Disney. On one hand, withStar Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalkerset toend the Skywalker saga, going back to the Star Wars universe’s distant past opens up all kinds of new story opportunities, and doesn’t risk contradicting established canon.
On the other, it’s a video game movie. While series likeTomb RaiderandResident Evilmake enough money to warrant endless sequels, they’re critical punching bags — and that’s before we even consider lesser efforts likeMax Payne,Warcraft, andSuper Mario Bros.
Novelty is a factor, too. One of the reasons whyKnights of the Old Republicis so beloved by Star Wars fans is that it took a well-known franchise and did something new. That’s no longer the case. On the big screen, the prequels have already shown us giant battles featuring the Jedi in their prime.Knights of the Old Republic 2‘s deconstruction of familiar Star Wars tropes has echoes in bothThe Last Jediand alsoStar Wars Rebels.
But there’s hope. Star Wars video games have a better-than-average track record when it comes to storytelling, and often finds ways to make the well-trod ground feel new.TIE Fighteroffered a glimpse at day-to-day life in the Galactic Empire, whileJedi Knightchronicled the arduous process of becoming a master Force user. Things are looking up for video game movies, too:Detective Pikachuwas great.
IfKnights of the Old Republiccan buck video game movie tradition and succeed, it could open up a whole new timeline for Star Wars to explore and could pave the way for game-exclusive characters likeKyle KatarnandGalen Marekto hit the big screen. If it doesn’t, well, there’splenty more Star Warson the way — and besides, the games themselves aren’t going anywhere. They’re still great.
