Ever since Metal Gear Solid relaunched the Metal Gear franchise back in 1998, fans have been clamouring for a big screen adaptation of Konami’s iconic stealth video game series. They aren’t the only ones eager to see a Metal Gear Solid movie materialise, either. Sony Pictures Entertainment has been trying to get the project off the ground for over a decade now – and it looks like they might finally be ready to deliver. The script is done, Kong: Skull Island director Jordan Vogt-Roberts is at the helm, and star Oscar Isaac recently signed on to play protagonist Solid Snake.

This should be good news. On paper, Vogt-Roberts’ flair for genre storytelling and Isaac’s acting chops – coupled with Metal Gear’s enticing blend of action, espionage, sci-fi, and philosophy – has box office hit written all over it. But as Snake himself can attest, appearances can be deceiving, and while a Metal Gear Solid film is a genuinely great idea, it shouldn’t be live-action – it should be animated.

What makes Metal Gear Solid a bad fit for live-action?

If you’re a long-time Metal Gear Solid fan, your initial reaction will be to dismiss the above opinion as a laughable hot take. After all, how can one of the most cinematic video game series ever – a franchise that blurs the line between movies and games to a fault – not be a perfect fit for the silver screen? And what about Metal Gear Solid’s paranoid espionage plotting, memorable characters, distinctive visual style, and rich mythology? Surely these elements would translate easily to film?

The answer to all of the above is “Yes”. Now stop, take a breath, and think – really think – about the Metal Gear franchise. It’s utterly bonkers, right? Too bonkers, in fact, for mainstream movie audiences. And I’m not just talking about the endearingly bizarre codenames sprinkled throughout Metal Gear Solid and its sequels, which crop up in dialogue without the slightest trace of irony (Solid Snake? Really?). The actual stories are wild, crammed full of convoluted or downright insane narrative twists and OTT concepts (a limb graft resulting in quasi-demonic possession is my personal favourite) that nobody other than Metal Gear devotees will ever buy into.

Sure, the critical and commercial success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is proof that casual moviegoers have developed a taste for silly sobriquets and outlandish plots. However, the MCU relies heavily on self-aware humour to get its more outrageous genre tropes across the line – something a Metal Gear Solid adaptation couldn’t do without betraying its source material. As such, a live-action Metal Gear Solid flick is less of an easy lay-up than fans (and Sony) seem to think. But an anime version? Now, that’s a different story entirely…

Metal Gear Solid – the greatest anime never made?

Funnily enough, all of the potential roadblocks facing a live-action Metal Gear Solid film would be considered assets if it were an anime. Crazy codenames? Part of the territory. Mind-meltingly complex, borderline nonsensical plots filled with ludicrous concepts? Often the hallmark of a great anime, as any connoisseur will tell you. Add in how well Metal Gear Solid’s aesthetic would suit the “grown-up”, detailed visual style predominant in the art form – especially the franchise’s titular mecha war machines, which owe a huge debt to the likes of the Gundam series – and anime isn’t just the best way to make a satisfying Metal Gear Solid movie, it’s arguably the only way.

True, going down the anime route rather than producing a live-action film potentially shrinks viewership (in the West, at least). But a Metal Gear Solid anime would almost certainly cost less than a big-budget live-action feature, and anime is also an increasingly lucrative market. This is something Sony is keenly aware of, if its recent efforts to buy anime streaming platform Crunchyroll are anything to go by!

Then there’s the longer-term earnings potential to consider. A video game-accurate live-action take on Metal Gear Solid would likely alienate the uninitiated, whereas a watered-down version of the mythos would frustrate diehard fans. Either way, you’re left with a tentpole blockbuster at risk of fizzing out and killing a planned film franchise before it’s even properly started. This means no sequels, no future ticket sales, and smaller streaming revenue.

By contrast, an undiluted anime spin on Metal Gear Solid wouldn’t simply appeal to those who already love the games. It would reel in newcomers already well-versed in the storytelling quirks the franchise shares with many beloved anime films and TV shows. And with franchise veterans and newbies both catered to, follow-up installments aren’t just inevitable – they start to look like a license to print money.

If that’s not enough to make Sony rethink its approach to adapting Metal Gear Solid, nothing – not even Snake holding a silenced pistol to studio bigwigs’ heads – ever will be.

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