Chernin Entertainment has struck a deal to turn both Arc Raiders and The Finals into television and film projects, with publisher Embark Studios involved in some capacity. The announcement, first reported by Variety, is light on specifics, but it confirms that two of Embark’s biggest multiplayer shooters are headed for the screen as part of the ongoing surge in video game adaptations.
What We Actually Know
Beyond the corporate language about taking “the next big step” in growing both franchises and building “integrated transmedia experiences,” there isn’t much to go on. Chernin’s president described the games as “ambitious global IPs with the potential to become major franchises across film and television,” language that suggests the studio may be eyeing connected cinematic universes for each property, though that remains speculation rather than confirmed plans. No cast, directors, platforms, or release windows have been announced for either project.
Two Very Different Games to Adapt
Arc Raiders is a third-person extraction shooter built around scavenging and tense encounters, while The Finals is a free-to-play first-person shooter staged as a destructible game show. Neither title is known for deep narrative content, which actually gives filmmakers a fair amount of creative freedom. As long as the core world-building and tone stay recognizable, there’s room to build original stories rather than faithfully retell existing in-game events.
Chernin’s Track Record
Chernin Entertainment brings a relevant resume to the table. The studio has worked on projects like Backrooms for theaters and The Madness for Netflix, along with The Last House, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, and the Fear Street trilogy. That mix of horror, genre, and franchise filmmaking experience could translate reasonably well to the tense, survival-driven tone of Arc Raiders and the chaotic, competitive energy of The Finals.
Part of a Bigger Trend
This announcement lands in the middle of a crowded stretch for game-to-screen projects. A Helldivers movie is due next year, with Elden Ring and Call of Duty adaptations slated for 2028, and a long-rumored The Legend of Zelda film still on the horizon. Video game adaptations have shifted from a punchline to a legitimate pipeline for studios, and signing up two live-service shooters with large, engaged player bases shows studios are now looking well beyond single-player story games for source material.
The Bottom Line
For now, this is a licensing deal and little else. There’s no footage, casting news, or timeline to react to, and the “shared universe” framing is inference rather than confirmed strategy. Fans of Arc Raiders and The Finals should treat this as an early signal that their games are being positioned for a bigger media push, not as evidence of what the shows or films will actually look like.
Source: Engadget
