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Amazon Announces Fallout Television Series

Still in early production, Amazon's announcement causes a frenzy among fans

By Silek Thu 16 Jul, 2020 5:23 PM - Last Updated: Thu 16 Jul, 2020 8:04 PM
Westworld showrunners Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy announced this month that they will be partnering with Amazon Studios to bring the seminal RPG/FPS Fallout, to the small screen. The power couple has said that they intend to show “The harshness of the wasteland set against the previous generation’s utopian idea of a better world through nuclear energy.”

The project is currently in early development, but as a condition of allowing Amazon to acquire the rights, a 'commitment penalty' was built into the deal.

The script is in the process of being written, and if Amazon likes what it sees, will be greenlit, bypassing the standard 'pilot' model. NolanJoyFO
Fallout Showrunners Lisa Joy and
Jonah Nolan
If Amazon is not happy with what Nolan and Joy envision as the next phase of 'prestige television', they can pass, but must give everyone involved in these high level talks their payday anyway. This is a part of the Westworld's creators overall nine figure deal with Amazon to produce content for the massive streaming giant.

The series will be produced by Nolan and Joy through their Kilter Films label, in tandem with Bethesda Game Studios and Bethesda Softworks. Todd Howard and James Altman, from Bethesda, will also executive produce the series along with Kilter's Athena Wickham.

In 1997 Fallout introduced the gaming community to a world devastated by a nuclear war in a future envisioned by a late 1940's / early 1950's America. In it's base narrative, the player is faced with the decision to follow the path of a morally bankrupt society that had squandered everything they had in the pursuit of power and control, or take a path to try and make the landscape a better place.

The lore of the society that led to the state of the planet the player finds it in on starting the game is summed up in the opening line of the game, “War. War never changes.” (FO4 aside, did you just read that line in Ron Pearlman's voice?) Among the trappings of what looks like a perfect world where nuclear technology has given the country a virtual paradise is a thin cracked veneer of the corruption, cruelty and insidiousness of it's leaders and the powerful elite class.

In their press statement, Nolan and Joy said, "Fallout is one of the greatest game series of all time. Each chapter of this insanely imaginative story has cost us countless hours we could have spent with family and friends, so we're incredibly excited to partner 200716 124623
Director and Executive Producer
at Bethesda Todd Howard
with Todd Howard and the rest of the brilliant lunatics at Bethesda to bring this massive, subversive, and darkly funny universe to life with Amazon Studios.”


Todd Howard, Director and Executive Producer at Bethesda Game Studios stated, "Over the last decade, we looked at many ways to bring Fallout to the screen, but it was clear from the moment I first spoke with Jonah and Lisa a few years ago, that they and the team at Kilter were the ones to do it right. We’re enormous fans of their work and couldn’t be more excited to work with them and Amazon Studios."

Also singing the praises of Nolan and Joy was Albert Cheng, COO and co-head of television at Amazon Studios. Cheng said, "Fallout is an iconic global franchise, with legions of fans worldwide and a rich, deeply compelling storyline that powers it. And Jonah and Lisa are the perfect storytellers to bring this series to life.”

As a Fallout fan for over 20 years, I can only hope what most of us hope when seeing news like this about some of our favorite content: Don't Mess It Up!


Are there any of your favorite franchises you would like to see given a television deal? Let us know in the comments below.

5 Comments
Thu 16 Jul, 2020 6:27 PM
Hmm I'm going to err on the side of caution with this announcement. Bethesda doesn't have the greatest track record with the Fallout series right now (looking at you Fallout: 76). I'll still give a watch though, great article Silek!
Thu 16 Jul, 2020 7:10 PM
I'm really unsure. It seems like a great blank canvas - there's loads of vaults still unmentioned that they can use, or there's the whole wasteland to explore when searching for stories. But honestly? It won't be Fallout as we know it - no choices, one pathway, no 'Oh dear my father's gone missing but WAIT THERE'S A SHINY NEW THING TO EXPLORE' ignoring of the main quest...

(That said, I'm probably still going to watch it!)
Thu 16 Jul, 2020 7:33 PM
Great. Yet another Zombie-Show... #WeNeedAPukeEmoji

Btw: We already have one and it's way more entertaining...
Fri 17 Jul, 2020 4:50 AM
If the feel is similar to New Vegas, it might be a good watch. Though that said, the readon I enjoy Fallout NV is because I had a say in the story direction while playing, it felt like I had some impact on the area, a TV show can't really capture that feeling.
Fri 17 Jul, 2020 9:42 AM
If the feel is similar to New Vegas, it might be a good watch. Though that said, the readon I enjoy Fallout NV is because I had a say in the story direction while playing, it felt like I had some impact on the area, a TV show can't really capture that feeling.
It's not going to be true fallout if it's not a buggy and glitchy mess..