In the summer 2016, Ubisoft confirmed plans to develop a film adaptation of The Division starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Chastain. Little else has been reported about the project since then, apart from a shuffle of directors. (Traffic’s Stephen Gaghan dropped out of the picture to later be replaced by Deadpool 2 helmer, David Leitch.) During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter for his most recent project, Hobbs & Shaw, Leitch offered an update about The Division film’s progress. Apparently, the movie is still a go and is in the “script phase” of development.
When asked whether The Division film could be his next project, Leitch said that it could be. For now, it seems nothing is quite set in stone, especially since everyone’s schedule needs to line up accordingly. Still, he told the publication, “[the scriptwriting] process is accelerating quickly.” Leitch shared the following with THR,
I’m excited about the material, and it is potentially next for us. We are currently in the script phase. Then, it’s about getting everybody’s schedules to line up and making sure that we’re ready to go with a script we’re 100 percent behind. That process is accelerating quickly. I love that material, and I love the potential of working with those two incredible actors [Gyllenhaal and Chastain]. The creative team on that is Kelly McCormick as producer, myself, Jake and Jessica. We have a really core team that cares about the material and is going to work hard to make it great.
Because the project remains in the very earlier stages of development, it is no surprise the director couldn’t divulge more. This also explains why news about The Division movie’s progress has been quiet for so many years. At present, there’s still so much about it that remains under wraps, i.e. the story. Will the film serve as a direct adaptation of the franchise’s first entry, or might it take the series’ center premise and craft its own narrative from within it? Such information won’t likely reach the public for some time.
While people wait, fans can continue to dig their teeth into The Division 2, which is currently 2019’s best-selling game.
[Source: The Hollywood Reporter via GameSpot]
