Despite Watch Dogs: Legion receiving average reviews and having poor sales, the Watch Dogs movie is in full swing. Filming reportedly wrapped up some time ago, but we are still waiting for an official release date, and information on the plot is scarce.
The Watch Dogs series has been on somewhat of a downward spiral since the first game came out in 2014, so seeing the franchise getting a movie adaptation has many gamers scratching their heads. However, could an original story set in the Watch Dogs universe be a commercial success for Ubisoft?
An Original Story Set in the Watch Dogs Universe
The Watch Dogs movie will be an original story and not a direct adaptation of any of the previous three games. With the film taking place in the Watch Dogs universe, expect real cities to be controlled by the fictional ctOS system.
Aiden Pearce is arguably the most popular character in the Watch Dogs franchise. Pearce, also known as The Vigilante, was the main protagonist in the original Watch Dogs game. After making a non-cameo appearance in Watch Dogs 2, Pearce was back as a playable character in Watch Dogs: Legion.
Despite being a huge part of the series, it’s still unclear whether Pearce will show up in the movie. Although there will be similarities to the games, we could see an entirely new set of characters take centre stage in the Watch Dogs movie.
Will Legion’s Poor Reception Impact the Film?
The first game was a success for Ubisoft, becoming the fastest-selling new IP in gaming history. Fans grew to love the protagonist, while the gritty Chicago setting also received huge praise.
Despite having lower sales, Watch Dogs was also a commercial success. Many Watch Dogs fans agree that the second game in the franchise was the best. The vibrant world of San Francisco was popular, and players enjoyed the better graphics and more engaging world activities.
Instead of continuing to stride forward, Ubisoft took a step back with Watch Dogs: Legion. The “play as anyone” mechanic never really took on, with one single protagonist preferred by most Watch Dogs fans. The game wasn’t a commercial success like the previous two, receiving disappointing reviews and poor sales.
Due to the third game’s underperformance, now seems a strange time to adapt the gaming franchise into a movie. However, with the flick having its own original story, Legion’s failure should have little impact on the film’s potential success. The game series may be taking a long hiatus, but could the Watch Dogs movie franchise take up the baton?
Why the Delay?
Production reportedly wrapped up in September 2024, but Regency Enterprises and Ubisoft Film & Television have been tight-lipped on the movie’s plot and setting. Apparently, reshoots and a lengthy post-production process have somewhat halted production.
However, according to Tom Blyth, who will feature in the film, the cast went back to do reshoots to make the movie even better. Although he didn’t give too much away, the Watch Dogs movie is allegedly on course and coming soon.
After the disappointing Assassin’s Creed movie in 2016, Ubisoft Film & Television will be desperate for the Watch Dogs movie to be a commercial success. Ubisoft has plenty of irons in the fire right now, including the new AAA Rayman game.
Plot, Setting & Cast
Director Mathieu Turi has kept the plot quiet, but we are expecting the movie to be far different from the game in terms of the storyline. We do know some of the cast members, though, with Blyth, Sophie Wilde, and Markella Kavenagh set to feature in the Watch Dogs movie.
The setting is also under wraps, but we are expecting Watch Dogs to be set in a big city like the games. So far, we have been to Chicago, San Francisco, and London, but will the Watch Dogs movie take us to a new location?
We also don’t know much about the plot, but the fictional ctOS system is likely to play a big role. The film will be an action-adventure story about hacking, with plenty of thrilling scenes sprinkled in.
