‘Gears of War’ gets Director

Len Wiseman is set to direct New Line’s “Gears of War,” based on Microsoft and Epic Games’ hit video game. Chris Morgan is penning a new draft of the actioner that Stuart Beattie originally tackled. Scribe’s credits include Universal’s upcoming “Wanted” and “The Fast and Furious Tokyo Drift.”

It has been rumored for nearly a year that Wiseman may helm the project; the game was featured in his most recent film, “Live Free or Die Hard .” But talks with New Line took place only over the last several months.

Wiseman will develop the story with Morgan. The two are also collaborating on the sci-fi action thriller “Shell Game” at Lakeshore Entertainment and Columbia Pictures. Wiseman, who established himself in the biz as an art director on pics like “Godzilla” and “Independence Day,” is also producing the third installment in the “Underworld” franchise, after having helmed the first two.

“Gears” revolves around a world reeling from an invasion by aliens known as the Locust, and a small team of elite soldiers who fight to retake the planet Sera and save its human inhabitants.

“Gears” is Microsoft’s second-biggest seller after the “Halo” franchise, and gamemaker Epic always intended to branch out the property into various media, such as films and novels, with an extensive backstory it developed.

A sequel game to “Gears'” first outing in late 2006, which was available for the Xbox 360 only, will ship in November. The game has sold more than 3 million copies.

New Line had initially aimed for a summer 2009 release for the pic, but further development on the project now will likely delay that plan. “It’s like with our games, you can have it right or have it right now,” said Epic Games topper Mark Rein. “We want to get it right. There’s no timetable for us. We just want to make as good a movie as we can, and we think (Wiseman’s) the guy who will do it.“