Jake Gyllenhaal starring in video game film adaptation of THE DIVISION

Video game publisher Ubisoft is busy wrapping things up for their debut of the Assassin’s Creed film later this year, and it seems it’s not the only one of its IPs that might get the video game movie adaptation treatment. Reports are surfacing that suggest The Division is next in line, with Nightcrawler star Jake Gyllenhaal up for the lead role. Not only that, but Gyllenhaal could in fact be producing the flick too – if it ever gets to the stage of reality.

The Division film isn’t set in stone just yet, with the project apparently still needing to attract a writer and one or two other star actors before being properly pitched. Those are not easy things to do, but it does make sense in the context of the game’s setting. The Division – which follows a group of agents sent to restore order to the lawless streets of New York after a terrorist attack involving plague infected money devastates the population – is a lot easier to adapt than Assassin’s Creed, with all the ammo needed for a grounded, gritty take on the post-apocalyptic future. Because we haven’t had so many other similar films like that before.

Although, it does make sense from both perspectives. Not only was The Division a lore-rich experience, the game did absurdly well for Ubisoft (and continues to still). It’s still the record holder for the best selling new IP based on first week sales, and Ubisoft are excited at the idea of keeping it alive for the foreseeable future. Making a film tie into that certainly wouldn’t be a bad idea, with the right people behind it.

It is amusing though that Jake Gyllenhaal of all people is already linked to the project. Gyllenhaal was of course involved in one of Ubisoft’s first videogame to film efforts, staring as the mysterious Prince of Persia a few years back. It was definitely a video game movie in all the worst ways, but here’s to hoping that The Division can shake those past perceptions off and deliver something engaging.

Firstly though, let’s hope Assassin’s Creed can break the trend.

Last Updated: June 3, 2016