Is Destiny even big enough to have a TV show based on its lore? Some fans would probably argue that yes, it is. And they probably wouldn’t be too far off the mark. The Destiny universe has an extensive cache of lore throughout both Destiny and Destiny 2. And the game is still going. So one could argue that there is already plenty to build off of. But let’s not get a head of ourselves. Why would Sony buying Bungie lead to the possibility of a TV show based on the studio’s hit multiplayer MMO shooter? It doesn’t necessarily. But if you think about it, Sony doesn’t just own Sony Interactive Entertainment. The company at the helm of all of its first-party video game studios. It also owns Sony Pictures and Sony Television. Which, as one would have it are the film and TV arms of Sony’s entertainment division. Pair this with a very distinct statement from Bungie’s announcement, and you have a recipe for some big possibilities.
A Destiny TV show could be more possible than you think
Let’s make one thing clear. Neither Bungie nor Sony have officially announced anything regarding the Destiny franchise and TV or film. But it does seem that things could be moving in that direction. In the official announcement about the acquisition, Bungie says a couple of things worth paying close attention to. The first being that it thinks game worlds can move beyond the game. Stating that “Like us, SIE believes that game worlds are only the beginning of what our IPs can become.” Sony has already taken two of its biggest franchises and turned them into TV shows or movies. The Uncharted film comes out on February 18 starring Tom Holland and an A-list supporting cast. And The Last Of Us is getting an official TV show through HBO with game director Neil Druckman at the helm. Sony is also reportedly working on a movie for Ghost of Tsushima. The second thing Bungie says is that with this announcement today, it will begin its journey to become a global multi-media entertainment company.
Reading between the lines
While none of this is definitive proof that Bungie has visions of turning the Destiny franchise into a TV show or movie, the studio without a doubt has plans to move Destiny beyond all currently available mediums. Destiny already exists in the game world. And you can read Destiny comics right now if you buy the Destiny Comic Collection book on the Bungie Store. Two mediums that Destiny has yet to tap into are TV and film. And with Sony’s recent efforts to expand The Last Of Us and Uncharted into those spaces, Destiny 2 seems ripe for the same treatment. Another thing to consider is that if Microsoft and 343 Industries can do it with Halo, why can’t Sony and Bungie do it with Destiny? If you’ve missed it entirely, Halo is getting an official TV show that will be streaming exclusively on Paramount+ starting in March of this year. The world of Halo is just as diverse (if not more so) and just as ambitious for a TV project as Destiny. Both are in the Sci-Fi genre. Both revolve around extremely powerful warriors (Spartans and Guardians) who fight for the safety and future of humanity against overwhelming odds. And both no doubt would require a significant amount of CGI and special effects. Not to mention some good writing to draw in fans. The point is that, Destiny could totally work as a TV show or movie. And Bungie now more than ever has the resources and the help it will need to make something like that happen. Should it choose to go down that path.
Where could Bungie possibly start?
There are tons of possibilities here. The Destiny franchise has characters and worlds that span millions of years. With plenty of it less explored than others. One of its most pivotal races, the Hive, are some of the oldest beings in the entire franchise. Players can read much and more about them throughout various pieces of lore in both games, called lore books and grimoire cards. Of course, Bungie could also begin with a much more modern entry. Like after the Traveler comes to earth and gives guardians their power. Which is mostly what the game is based on. And while I’m no lore expert, I’ve read my fair share of the lore books over the years and there is certainly a lot of content for Bungie to pull from that would make for some very interesting stories. If you think Bungie doesn’t have enough to draw from, think again. Because if you really dig into the lore outside of cinematics and voice logs, there’s a lot there.
Should Bungie make a TV show or movie based on the Destiny universe?
No one will have the same answer to that question. But, Bungie would be smart to take the opportunity to grow its franchise in this way. With so much lore to build a foundation for a TV series or a film series, they have one part of what’s needed. And with a series in play, it could easily draw in more people to play the game that have never experienced it before. All they would need to do is captivate audiences who get into the show enough to get them interested in the game world. And just like that, new players. Of course none of this matters if Bungie doesn’t actually plan to go in this direction. But it certainly sounds like it wants to. And there’s enough interesting story content to make things engaging.
