For a video game franchise synonymous with steampunk assassins and stealth, the future is strangely bright for Square’s Thief franchise, if a post from Straight Up Films is to believed.
First spotted by Game Informer, the listing claims that a live-action movie adaptation – an “action epic,” as it were – has entered development alongside a fifth entry in the cult video game series. Eidos Montreal, the studio behind 2014’s divisive reboot, is yet to announce anything official – ditto for publisher Square Enix – but there have been rumblings of a sequel leaping out of the shadows in the not-so-distant future.
Film-wise, the nebulous Thief movie has been kicking around for some time. Last we reported, screenwriters Adam Mason and Simon Boyes signed on to hash out a script, but all has been quiet on that front ever since, and today’s report from Straight Up Films fails to mention a release date.
Here’s the statement in question:
Thief is an action epic poised to be the next great multi-platform franchise. Originally released in 1998 by Eidos Interactive (Deus Ex) and distributed by Square Enix (Tomb Raider, Final Fantasy), the Thief series has spanned over fifteen years and four sequels continually retaining loyal audiences and attracting new fans with each iteration.
Widely considered to be one of the greatest games ever created, a fifth sequel is currently in development to be released in step with this motion picture adaptation. Steeped in the steam-punk world created by the video game, the film will tell a new chapter in the storied world of the series’ hero.
Three years ago, Square and Eidos Montreal resurrected Thief after a 10-year absence to mixed reviews, but it seems there’s still life in the franchise yet. If a fifth game is indeed in the works, a reveal at next month’s E3 event will surely be on the cards, and considering that Square Enix recently severed ties with Hitman dev IO Interactive, we wouldn’t be too surprised to learn that the Japanese giant is doubling down on its established series moving forward.