After over 10 years of rumors and speculation, the long-awaited film adaptation of the popular Ubisoft video game franchise Watch Dogs has officially begun production. Ubisoft announced the start of filming on X/Twitter, sharing a behind-the-scenes image of a clapperboard with the caption “Lights_Camera_Action.exe.”
The Watch Dogs movie was first announced back in 2016 when Sony revealed at a GamesCom press conference that Ubisoft was partnering with New Regency to bring the hacker-focused open-world adventure to the big screen. Details on the project were scarce for years, with only occasional updates on its status.
However, last month Ubisoft finally provided more concrete details, announcing that the film would star Tom Blyth, known for his role in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, and Sophie Wilde, the breakout star of the horror hit Talk to Me. The movie will be directed by Mathieu Turi, with a screenplay written by Christie LeBlanc and revised by Victoria Bata.
While the specific plot details of the Watch Dogs movie remain under wraps, the game’s premise of a protagonist hacking into a city’s surveillance system to seek revenge has the potential to translate well to the big screen. Fans have long clamored for a proper adaptation of the popular video game franchise, and with this talented cast and crew now attached, the film finally seems to be moving forward after over a decade of development.
Lights_Camera_Action.exe#WatchDogsMovie // @NewRegency pic.twitter.com/6z7uUibmOJ
Advertisement— Ubisoft (@Ubisoft) July 3, 2024
The announcement of the Watch Dogs movie’s start of production comes amid a growing trend of successful video game adaptations making their way to theaters and streaming platforms. If the film can capture the spirit of the games while delivering an engaging cinematic experience, it could pave the way for further Ubisoft properties to make the leap from the virtual world to live-action.
