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David Hayter on What Happened to a Metal Gear Solid Movie

by Alex Billington
June 2, 2010
Source: MTV

Although video game movies still haven't found their footing (e.g. Prince of Persia), there are still plenty of games that we're anxious to see on the big screen. One of those games is Metal Gear Solid, the legendary franchise created by Hideo Kojima, that has been rumored to head to the big screen for years. In January, producer Michael De Luca said that the movie wasn't going to happen, saying it was nearly "impossible" to work anything out. Last week, MTV brought on screenwriter David Hayter, better known as the voice of Solid Snake, as a guest editor. One of his final pieces this week looks at what happened to the MGS movie.

Hayter starts at the beginning in terms of how it all originally came together. "They've been trying to work out a deal between [creator Hideo Kojima] and [Sony]," he said. "A couple of years ago, a producer friend of mine asked me if I would be interested in doing the adaptation. And I said 'Of course. I know it pretty well.' I think I can say without contradiction that I know it better than any screenwriter on the planet. I've said every word that Snake has said. So I felt well-qualified." That is most certainly the case, but as he hints at in the beginning, it's the relationship with Hideo Kojima that is causing all the problems. Hayter continues:

"I did come up with a pitch for the movie which I thought was pretty cool and I would still love to do. But there are far larger issues in terms of who's going to get the rights to do it and what sort of involvement Mr. Kojima is going to have. All that needs to be worked out before I would ever come up."

As for how exactly this latest iteration fell apart, Hayter mentions some stuff "he heard," but MTV wouldn't run what he said, so instead they ran this new quote: "On top of that, I don't believe they were ever able to successfully close a deal between Mr. Kojima and Sony. This is all just stuff I've heard." So there you go. I've heard that stated before, mainly that Konami (who publishes the game) and Kojima want to be intimately involved, which I guess is not want any studios/producers want. I'm not sure if Kojima wants to direct it, but I have a feeling he wants to make sure that it's perfect, which is understandable as the creator of the game.

As for one day seeing a Metal Gear Solid movie actually come together, Hayter still has some hope. He talks about his pitch: "Having been intimately involved with Metal Gear, I would like to give people a story that will grab the fans. The fans will know the context that we're talking about once they see the trailers. They'll say 'Oh my god, they're going there.' But they won't quite know how the story is going to unfold or what some of the big surprises are going to be. And that's really the only way to keep a movie interesting." I just hope we won't have to wait another 20 years to find out what those surprises are. Will it ever happen?

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25 Comments

If it ever does happen, Hayter would have to be Snake in the film. Without that iconic voice its nothing...that said it will probably never happen, and maybe its a good thing. The MGS story is one of the best of all time and a big screen translation would be gigantic, it would have to span nearly 4 film each lasting a considerable amount of time. Hayter and Kojima need to write a script and give it too the public and see what the reaction is, if positive then go for it, if not try again, if that fails then don't film it. Fingers crossed that it has a chance to come to the big screen!

Xerxex on Jun 2, 2010

kojima definitely needs to be 'intimately involved' for this movie to be truly a success. i have hope that this will see the light of day someday. but if not all the right people are involved its gonna go nowhere. which would not be a bad thing considering metal gear/solid is one of my favourite game series.

lego on Jun 2, 2010

The director would have to study the camera work of Metal Gear Solid 1 intensely to do it justice.. They would have to be extraordinarily respectful to the presentation.. also frankly i think Mr Hayter would have to do at least vocal work on it in some respect. the camera work of MGS and the audio is so critical to the universe. Its literally more important than the actual characters and setting. As has been shown by the 2 alternate generations of the Metal Gear Series. You could do a Metal Gear Solid movie based on not even things in the metal gear universe and it still would be a great metal gear solid movie.. which is one bonus to it.. Metal Gear Solid is more how it communicates with you than what it actually says which is why i think it makes it past Japanese translation so effectively.

Heath Kidd on Jun 2, 2010

I think i could live contently without a film based on this masterpeice of a game. They were all very well written scripts, but they were videogames. The transition is risky and it'd best be left alone.

Eli on Jun 2, 2010

Let Oliver Stone direct David Hayters script and you will get a masterpiece like Platoon.

Loser on Jun 2, 2010

well its would be interesting move if the make it a bit like the game but i dont know whats going on now days with this new trend of making games and comic as movies do directors run out of scripts or new ideas ?

star trek online credits on Jun 2, 2010

Robert Richardson as cinemaphotographer, he has done some amazing work with Stone and Scorsese, worked with different styles and would do an amazing job with this

Loser on Jun 2, 2010

ive been wanting a mgs movie for the longest time, but it has to be perfect to be made. fans would be in an uproar tho. and idk @ #4 cuz if you played the last mgs (mgs4), that game was a movie basically with the longest cutscenes ive ever seen in a game. period. but i really hope within like the next 10 years (being realistic here) that a movie is made. but i would like hayter to be snake since well he is snake. and knows the story better than basically anybody outside of kojima and his crew. lets see tho what happens.

KING on Jun 2, 2010

It's best that they keep video games off the big screen, they just don't work for the most part. MGS is a brilliant video game, but if they made a movie out of it it'll be ridiculous nonsense.

SlashBeast on Jun 2, 2010

harrison ford as snake would be a perfect choice

Spider94 on Jun 2, 2010

Well I intend to be a film director once I graduate college, and a Metal Gear Solid movie is on my list of movies to make. So if this one doesn't happen, and I do become a director, expect to see my adaptation of MGS in about 10 or 15 years.

WittyRemark23 on Jun 2, 2010

There is a fan made movie AMAZING . check it out. http://www.mgs-philanthropy.net/main/?page_id=166&lang=en you can stream it or download it for all MGS fans a MUST SEE

greak on Jun 2, 2010

This movie will only work under two conditions. 1. Full CG 2. David Hayter must voice Snake.

Angry Chief on Jun 2, 2010

Notice how Sony didn't want Kojima and Konami intimately involved with the project. Which means that the studios want free reign over this live action film....good to see the Kojima won't let it happen.

julian on Jun 2, 2010

#14 so true... the creators of the game should be involved no matter what.

tazz on Jun 2, 2010

Snake is Hugh Jackman. I know, I know... He's Wolverine. But really he could pul it off. Anyhow Kojima needs to be involved but he needs to allow a competent director do their job. It would be a HUGE money maker if done faithfully.

Johnny Neat on Jun 2, 2010

"...Konami (who publishes the game) and Kojima want to be intimately involved, which I guess is not want any studios/producers want." Wise choice, Konami. Very wise. "I'm not sure if Kojima wants to direct it, but I have a feeling he wants to make sure that it's perfect, which is understandable as the creator of the game." Not too excited about Kojima actually directing a live-action movie, but I appreciate his passion for this project. Thumbs up, again. All in all, if the move gets made with people like this involved, I'll get excited. Just don't throw your hands up, hand the rights over to any old studio and let them do what they want.

Nada Nuff on Jun 2, 2010

I need this movie to happen, you know what would be great, is if there was an actor as snake, yet David Hayter voiced over the actor playing him, like James Earl Jones voiced over the actor in Star Wars. OR you could have it all like Avatar shot with hayter and mo-cap, but that would probably look horrible and I would cry.

Tyler S on Jun 2, 2010

i say don't make it live action use the CGI from Avatar and give us the metal gear style TO THE MAX and #12 the fan movie was awful

DoomCanoe on Jun 2, 2010

FOR OLD SNAKE IT WOULD BE COOL IF IT WAS CLINT EASTWOOD AND IF ITS YOUNG SNAKE DEFINATELY HUGH JACKMAN.

RICHARD on Jun 3, 2010

The game is already like a movie. Why ruin a good thing. I don't want them to make a movie because its not only possible hollywood would f it up. Its likely.

Tim on Jun 3, 2010

Christian Bale should be Solid Snake

Aaron on Jun 3, 2010

Yeesh. Would be haaaard to make this and it not suck. More balls than I got.

bozo on Jun 3, 2010

if they will do it then they should say they will. if not then dont give us more rumors to confuse us. and i hope kojima is involved because they will make just another bloodrayne or tomb raider wich is not cool.

crow23 on Aug 16, 2010

MGS Digital Graphic Novel for PSP was awesome and if an MGS movie is going to be made i think the MGS graphic novel is a good place to start. Plus comic book base movie tends to do a lot better than video game movie, so why not make a movie based on comic book that is based on the video game. As my pick for directors, its gotta be Christopher Nolan, he did justice to the rebooting of batman series and his work on inception was epic, and he'll probably cast some of the actors and actress he has previously work with (which is a pretty impressive list) And they should let WB produce it in-conjunction with sony pictures and kojima studios, just let kojima have his say on the movie, its his masterpiece anyway. Lastly David Hayter should be in the writers list... MGS without David Hayter is just not the same.

ashes on Nov 7, 2010

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