JJ Abrams is reportedly developing a film adaptation of the hit video game franchise Half-Life.
While details are sparse and the source of the news is anonymous, GiantFreakinRobot reported that Abrams is still working on a Half-Life film after first announcing such a project nine years ago when he also said he had a Portal film in the works. Still, with such scant information, it’s worth taking the report with a grain of salt.
Half-Life has achieved classic status as a franchise since it first made its debut in 1998 and is one of Developer Valve’s signature achievements as a developer. The original game spawned a sequel in addition to two expansions that continued the story of the second game that ended with a killer cliffhanger. Valve originally planned a third expansion for Half-Life 2 but the project never saw the light of day, much to the chagrin of die-hard fans of the franchise.
Even so, Valve did eventually follow up Half-Life 2 with a virtual reality prequel game, Half-Life Alyx which was well received by fans and critics alike even if the requirement of an expensive VR priced out a substantial slice of the market for such a game.
If the report that Abrams is still working on a Half-Life film turns out to be true, it remains to be seen whether the film will adapt the story and events of the original Half-Life game, continue where the games left off, or tell a new story set within the Half-Life universe.
