Everything we know about Amazon’s rumored Mass Effect series
The Reapers may find an unexpected new home.
After The Wheel of Time was deemed a successful adaptation for Amazon, it seems like Mass Effect is next in line for consideration. Between these, The Expanse, and the upcoming Lord of the Rings prequel, Amazon will have the market cornered on genre fiction. While we don’t know much about this rumored Mass Effect show, here’s a look at everything we do know about the ongoing development, cast, and more.
Is there really a Mass Effect TV series happening at Amazon?
As of right now, the answer is both yes and no. In a November 23 report from Deadline, it was said that, following the strong performance of Wheel of Time as one of the most-watched series premieres of the year, representatives for the popular streaming platform are considering how future adapted works may slot into the Prime Video portfolio.
Among those “hopeful” projects is an adaptation of Mass Effect from Electronic Arts. The wording that Amazon is “hopeful” to one day work on a Mass Effect TV series serves as a soft confirmation that talks are underway but not completely resolved. With that reality in mind, it’s possible the Mass Effect TV series may never come to fruition or it could be shopped around to other networks beyond Amazon if it does exist.
Commander Shepard may be headed to the small screen if Amazon has its way.
The source article notes that, provided Mass Effect stays under the Prime Video banner, that would be a pretty appropriate home for it. In addition to Wheel of Time, Amazon also hosts adaptations of The Boys comic series and a TV show based on The Lord of the Rings as well. The suggestion is made that Amazon has staff who know how to treat the property of others with care.
Is there a Mass Effect TV series trailer?
Given that the project hasn’t even been officially announced, it might be some time before we see a trailer for the finished product. For now you’ll just have to settle on watching the latest trailer for the fifth installment in the Mass Effect game series that debuted at the end of the 2020 Game Awards.
As a consolation prize, here’s the epic reveal trailer for the Legendary Edition remasters of the Mass Effect trilogy:
When might we see the Mass Effect TV series on Amazon?
This early on in development, it’s hard to know precisely when the Mass Effect TV series might debut. As those who follow the games industry closely will know, sometimes game-based adaptations get stuck in a creative stall for years before finally coming out, if they do at all.
For example, the Uncharted film due to release in 2022 was first mentioned in 2008, swapping creatives and cast members for quite some time before finally making its way to the big screen. HBO’s TV adaptation of The Last Of Us was first discussed as a feature-length film back in 2014 and will now debut on a different medium, hopefully, in 2022.
If the Mass Effect TV series follows this trajectory, there’s no knowing when it might actually air. However, if it gets picked up and developed more traditionally, it’s possible we may see something tangible in 2023 or 2024. Ultimately, though, until an official announcement is made, it’s really hard to know.
Who is in the cast of the Mass Effect TV series?
With no official announcement made, casting details are nowhere in sight as well. Fans have thrown their hat in the ring to suggest the likes of Chris Pratt or Henry Cavill taking on the role of Shepard, with Emily Blunt as Ashley Williams and Steven Yeun as Kaiden. These are all just fantasies, however, so we’ll let you fill this space with your own casting ambitions in advance of more concrete reveals.
Henry Cavill did tease in February 2021 that he was seemingly connected to some kind of Mass Effect project, but it wasn’t clear what. Could the man who plays Geralt of Rivia, the infamous Witcher, also be Commander Shepard?
Who would you like to see take on the role of Garrus Vakarian?
Haven’t there been rumors of a Mass Effect TV series before?
Yes. In February of 2021 fans got busy deciphering a photo from Henry Cavill’s Instagram that seemingly shows a blurred version of a script. After running the graphic through digital editing software, some outlets believe the Witcher actor was reading a printout of the Wikipedia entry for Mass Effect 3.
Even if Liara isn’t in the TV adaptation, you can bet the Asari race will be.
These new revelations give some weight to that prior speculation, but fans may want to manage their expectations before bursting with excitement. After all, just because Cavill may have been reading materials relevant to Mass Effect, that doesn’t guarantee he’ll be part of the project when, and if, it finally debuts. A lot can change in the early production of any Hollywood project, so we urge readers to keep an open mind.
Beyond that speculation, there’s no doubt the timing seems more than a little kismet for both Amazon and EA alike. Following Prime’s Wheel of Time win, EA is also enjoying the fruits of a successful launch of Mass Effect Legendary Edition in May of 2021. As referenced above, its developers at BioWare are also hard at work on a new Mass Effect game as well. There’s no doubt EA still sees value in the Mass Effect brand over the next few years, so greenlighting an adapted TV series with a strong partner like Amazon seems like a pretty smart idea.
