Rawson Marshall Thurber To Direct Netflix Adaptation Of Popular Video Game ‘The Division’ Starring Jake Gyllenhaal And Jessica Chastain

Red Notice director Rawson Marshall Thurber is set to direct Netflix’s feature adaptation of The Division, which is based on the popular video game, with Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Chastain on board to star. Thurber comes on for David Leitch, who had to step down as director due to scheduling conflicts that included his action pic Bullet Train, which he is currently filming. Leitch will remain on as a producer.

Netflix acquired film rights to the game after the package was put on the market back in the summer 2019 following a heated bidding war for the property.

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The story is set in the near future with a virus spread via paper money on Black Friday, decimating the city of New York and killing millions. By Christmas, what’s left of society has descended into chaos. A group of civilians, trained to operate in catastrophic times, are activated in an attempt to save who and what remains.

Leitch and Kelly McCormick’s 87North Productions, Gyllenhaal’s Nine Stories, Chastain’s Freckle Films, Thurber’s Bad Version and Ubisoft Film and Television are producing the film. Marshall will also co-write the script with Ellen Shanman.

At launch, Tom Clancy’s The Division quickly became the fastest-selling new IP in video game history and currently has more than 20 million players. The Division 2 launched in March 2019 to critical acclaim and continues to provide players with new content on an ongoing basis.

Thurber already has strong ties with Netflix as he recently directed Red Notice for the streamer. Starring Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot and Ryan Reynolds, the film is considered one of the biggest productions to date undertaken by the streamer.

Thurber is repped by WME and Hansen, Jacobson.

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