Jake Gyllenhaal to Star in Ubisoft’s ‘The Division’ Movie (EXCLUSIVE)

02/06/2016 - Following record-breaking sales, Ubisoft is already developing a movie based on its video game Tom Clancy’s the Division, and now looks to have an A-list star to lead the film. Sources tell Variety that Jake Gyllenhaal is attached to star in the pic based on the hit video game that has already become Ubisoft’s fastest-selling product. Gyllenhaal is also attached as a producer, and the studio is currently looking for a writer to pen the adaptation. Ubisoft could not be reached for comment.

Related Jake Gyllenhaal’s ‘Nocturnal Animals’ Lands Awards Season Release Date Developed and published by Ubisoft, with assistance from Red Storm Entertainment, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the third-person shooter is set in a dystopian New York City in the aftermath of a smallpox pandemic. The player, who is an agent of the Strategic Homeland Division, commonly referred to as simply “The Division,” is tasked with helping to rebuild the Division’s operations in Manhattan, investigating the nature of the outbreak and combating criminal activity in its wake. Early reports had the game reaching $330 million dollars in sales in just five days, and that number has surely grown in recent weeks. Ubisoft will package the project, possibly adding one more actor to the mix before taking it out to studios. It currently has “Assassin’s Creed” starring Michael Fassbender in post-production at Fox and New Regency as well as “Splinter Cell” starring Tom Hardy at Paramount. For Gyllenhaal, the move gives the actor the opportunity to step into a major tentpole following several prestige projects such as “Nightcrawler,” “Southpaw” and the upcoming “Nocturnal Animals.” In producing the movie, Gyllenhaal will also have the ability to be hands-on in the big-budget film. Gyllenhaal can next be seen starring opposite Amy Adams in Tom Ford’s “Nocturnal Animals,” scheduled to open Nov. 18, 2016. He will commence production on Bong Joon Ho’s “Okja” and Daniel Espinosa’s “Life” later this year. Through his Nine Stories shingle, Gyllenhaal produced David Gordon Green’s upcoming “Stronger,” in which he also stars. Gyllenhaal is repped by WME and Carlos Goodman of Bloom Hergott.

(VARIETY)