A24 was best known for their small-scale horror movies, but they decided to gamble with Alex Garland when they made his big-budget movie Civil War.
While the movie is well-regarded among cinephiles, one creative thinks it would make an excellent premise for a video game.
Neil Druckmann on Civil War
In a recent interview with Garland on Creator on Creator, Druckmann talks about how he watched Garland’s Civil War and thought it would be an excellent premise for a game. He says:
“… That feeling when I saw Civil War. That’s another one where I saw that and I’m like, ‘This will make an amazing game.’ Just the mechanics of being a photographer and going like across the country and heading into danger, but there’s something familiar and yet very unfamiliar about that journey.”
Of course, there have been no attempts to make Civil War a game, but the movie has a fascinating world with many questions to answer.
Interestingly, the film also includes Nick Offerman, who played Bill in the Last of Us series and collaborated with Garland on his show Devs.
What’s Civil War about?
Civil War, a 2024 movie, follows the story of wartime photographers and journalists who go on a cross-country mission in a war-torn USA. The movie stars Kirsten Dunst, Cailee Spaeny, and Wagner Moura.
While some thought it would be a regular 'Red vs. Blue' movie, Civil War is surprisingly vague about what both sides are fighting for. If anything, the film draws inspiration from wars in other countries and simply changes the setting to the US, reimagining how US citizens would react during a modern civil war.
The film's core theme is journalism, its value in preserving the truth, and its potential misuse to sensationalize and alter reality. It also highlights the roles of journalists and how they risk their lives for the job.
Like The Last of Us, Civil War takes place in a familiar world that’s been warped. Translating TLOU’s story format into something like Civil War would be easy, with the cross-country element and the need to put characters in danger.
What’s Druckmann Working on Now?
If anything, Druckmann is probably too busy to be working on a Civil War-inspired game, as Naughty Dog is currently gearing up to launch an all-new franchise with Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
Not much is known about the game yet, but Druckmann says in the interview that Faith and Religion will be at the heart of the story. Plus, since The Last of Us focuses on connections, Druckmann wants players to feel intense isolation and loneliness when they play this new title.
Sounds like a trip.
No release date has been set for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, but fans hope it will be available on PS5 later this year.