Constantin Sets John Wick Creator Derek Kolstad To Script Just Cause

EXCLUSIVE: Constantin Film has acquired the feature film rights to the hit video game franchise Just Cause, and set as screenwriter Derek Kolstad, the creator and writer of the John Wick trilogy. Deal was made with game owner Avalanche Studios and Square Enix. Constantin is teaming up with Prime Universe Films to launch what they hope will be a big action franchise.

Kolstad comes off the latest John Wick film and recently selling his pitch for the action film Booker to Sony. Constantin Film’s Robert Kulzer and Prime Universe Film’s Adrian Askarieh will produce along with Kolstad. Constantin Film’s Martin Moszkowicz will be exec producer along with Square Enix.

Just Cause will follow the video game blueprint, as Rico Rodriguez is on a race-against-time mission to stop The Black Hand, a lethal mercenary group. The series draws its name from the real-life United States invasion of Panama, code-named “Operation Just Cause.” Rodriguez (aka “The Scorpion”) has become one of the few Latino iconic video game characters. He has a signature “agent of chaos” approach to taking down the bad guys, aided by his iconic Grappling Hook and stealth Wing-suite, that ought to play well on a movie screen.

The games are “open world action” which take place in and around various islands, and the series has shipped over 26 million units worldwide. The filmmakers expect to set a director quickly, and a star as a 2020 start date is eyed by Constantin.

Kolstad is repped by APA, Circle Confusion, and Behr, Abramson, Levy. Nick Hanks brokered on behalf of Constantin, which turned the video game Resident Evil into a hit franchise, with that franchise’s director Paul. W.S. Anderson, turning Monster Hunter into another game-to-film franchise next.