Adaptation lacks player choice
Amazon Prime Video announced plans to adapt Life Is Strange into a TV show last year. The series will be written by Charlie Covell, who also serves as executive producer and showrunner. Square Enix, the company that owns the Life Is Strange IP, will produce the show along with Margot Robbie’s production company, Lucky Chap, and Story Kitchen, a firm focused on adapting franchises for TV.
The show, like the game, follows Max, a photography student with the ability to rewind time to save her best friend, Chloe. The original game lets players decide key moments, but the TV version must pick one path. This limits freedom, something that could upset fans who made their own choices.
Co-creator warns of fan frustration
Mike Goldberg, co-founder of Story Kitchen and producer of the adaptation, said on the In The Lab podcast that no matter what choices are made, some fans will be disappointed. He explained that Life Is Strange is known for its many player choices, and adapting it to a passive TV format requires careful planning. The team is working closely with Square Enix to keep the story true to the game's spirit.
Goldberg said that Covell played through the entire Life Is Strange franchise to understand the characters and plot. He added that only with this kind of detail could the show succeed. The first season is due to begin filming this month.
Future Life Is Strange stories possible
Goldberg also hinted at future adaptations if the show is well-received. The Life Is Strange franchise could expand to tell more stories with different characters and events, not just Max and Chloe. He said the TV version would need to feel rewarding to fans who already played the game, avoiding the passive feeling of watching a story they’ve lived through.