One of last year's indie darlings is set to receive a film adaptation with one of Hollywood's hottest stars.
Strange Scaffold’s El Paso, Elsewhere was one of last year’s most celebrated independent releases, racking up awards and receiving acclaim across the board. Now, it’s joining the long list of video games being adapted into a movie. Actor LaKeith Stanfield is in talks to star and produce the movie.
Hollywood trades like Deadline and Variety reported the news of an El Paso, Elsewhere movie this morning. The movie's official logline sets the stage for the adaptation. "James Savage (Stanfield), who while recovering from a toxic relationship, confronts both his inner demons and enigmatic ex-girlfriend, Janet, before she executes a world-ending ritual. James navigates her reality-bending universe of ethereal monsters while facing the truth of his own addictions and skewed sense of self-worth, learning that the only route to love is through healing."
Source: Strange Scaffold
Xalavier Nelson Jr., who developed, wrote, and lent his voice to the indie game, expressed his enthusiasm on X/Twitter. The report does not state whether or not the El Paso, Elsewhere film will be live-action or animated.
LaKeith Stanfield, whose acting credits include Atlanta, Get Out, and Knives Out, is in talks to star as James Savage and produce the film. The project is in the works at Di Bonaventura Pictures, the same studio that recently co-produced Meg 2: The Trench and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.
El Paso, Elsewhere is not the only 2023 indie getting the movie treatment, as this month also brought the news that a Dredge film adaptation is in the works at Story Kitchen. We’ll keep you updated on the various video game adaptations in development, and be sure to stop by our Pop! Goes the Culture! livestreams on Thursdays for more film and television discussions.
Donovan is a young journalist from Maryland, who likes to game. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge Scream nerd and film fanatic that will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_
