By Sagar V. Mankar 
The upcoming film adaptation of Square Enix and Avalanche Studios’ popular action game series, Just Cause, has found its writer. Aaron Rabin, known for his work on Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Silent River, and the upcoming Nobody 2, has been brought on to pen the script, as reported by The Wrap.
Rabin joins director Ángel Manuel Soto, best known for helming DCU’s Blue Beetle and Amazon’s forthcoming action film, The Wrecking Crew. The movie is being produced by Kelly McCormick and David Leitch under 87North’s first-look deal with Universal Pictures. 87North has previously worked on high-octane films such as Bullet Train and The Fall Guy.
The Just Cause movie adaptation has been in development for several years. Back in 2017, there were talks of Aquaman star Jason Momoa playing the protagonist, Rico Rodriguez. However, there has been no confirmation regarding his involvement in the current iteration of the film. Momoa is still set to appear in another video game adaptation, Minecraft, which is slated for release in April 2025.
While details about the movie’s plot remain undisclosed, the Just Cause video game series follows the adventures of Rico Rodriguez, an operative tasked with toppling corrupt governments and oppressive regimes. The series, which debuted in 2006, is well known for its massive open-world environments, explosive action, and chaotic gameplay mechanics. The latest main entry, Just Cause 4, was released in 2018 and received praise for its dynamic weather effects and destruction-based gameplay. A mobile spin-off was also in development but was canceled in 2023.
According to reports, the upcoming movie has been given the title “Operation Just Cause.” The name draws inspiration from the real-life U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989. The film’s production team also includes Story Kitchen’s Dmitri M. Johnson, Mike Goldberg, and Timothy I. Stevenson, with Dan Jevons serving as an executive producer. Story Kitchen has been involved in other video game adaptations, including Sonic the Hedgehog and the upcoming Sleeping Dogs movie.
Just Cause has become one of Square Enix’s most recognized franchises, standing alongside iconic titles like Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, and Dragon Quest. Universal Pictures, which has seen major success with video game adaptations such as The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Five Nights at Freddy’s, appears to be making a strong push into the gaming-to-film market with this project.
Fans will be eagerly awaiting more details on the cast, storyline, and release date as production moves forward.