Mike Dowse To Direct Vidgame Adaptation ‘Just Cause’ For Constantin Film & Prime Universe

Mike Fleming Jr
·2 min read

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EXCLUSIVE: The big-screen adaptation of the bestselling video game Just Cause has landed Michael Dowse as director. Dowse, whose work includes Stuber and Coffee & Kareem, has been set to helm the co-production between Constantin Film and Prime Universe.

Scripted by Derek Kolstad (the John Wick trilogy), the film is produced by Constantin Film’s Robert Kulzer, Prime Universe Film’s Adrian Askarieh, and Kolstad. Constantin’s Martin Moszkowicz and Square Enix will be the executive producers and Constantin’s Alex Westmore and Colin Scully are overseeing.

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The film will follow the video game’s blueprint, as Rico Rodriguez is on a race-against-time mission to stop the mercenary group The Black Hand. The series draws its name from the real-life U.S. 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. There will be a female co-lead giving Just Cause a Romancing the Stone vibe. The video game series has shipped over 35 million units worldwide.

After starting out as an editor while directing short films and music videos, Dowse made his feature directing debut on Fubar, which opened Midnight Madness at the Sundance Film Festival. It’s All Gone Pete Tong, Dowse’s second feature, won the City Award at the 2004 Toronto Film Festival. He has followed with a Fubar sequel, Take Me Home Tonight and the sleeper comedy Goon. Dowse’s TV credits include Fubar, Age of Computer for Vice, Preacher for AMC, Man Seeking Woman for FX and Futureman for Hulu.

Constantin Films’ made the Resident Evil franchise, Monster Hunter and the TV series Shadowhunters — The Mortal Instruments.

Dowse is repped by UTA, Fourth Wall Management and Paul Hastings.

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