Just popping in (Hi!) as Google alerted me I was being name checked. 
Elite Dangerous Movie - of course it could be done. Elite's lore is more than capable of being translated to the big screen or a TV series. I'd suggest a TV series might be better suited. There are many different facets of the Elite universe that could be picked up: space politics, alien invasion, itinerate spacer-crews trying to make a buck in a tough universe...
However! The trick would be coming up with something that hasn't already been done because (and speaking here as a big fan) Elite doesn't really do anything above and beyond traditional sci-fi fare that would justify making a film or tv series as is. Elite as a setting is inspired by multiple other existent SF works itself and is heavily derivative of them. There are very few original ideas in Elite, just iteration, amalgamation and modification.
To make Elite interesting enough you'd need a compelling narrative encapsulating space trading, exploration, combat, aliens, etc etc... but with a proper story to tell that extends way beyond that. Raxxla might be the obvious candidate. How the game plays (with us being "nobodies" in the universe") is irrelevant, because the story would have to be about "somebody" in order for a narrative to be written. If it were me I'd create some archetypical character types (eg. explorer, miner, trader, combateer, political types etc... maybe even chuck the Thargoids in) and generate some actual "people" out of those and flesh out their backstories using the existing lore. You can throw a few nods to the hardcore fans that way (e.g. combateer is a heavy drinker and likes Lavian Brandy), without de-railing whatever story you come up with with dull exposition.
If an idea was developed somebody would need to write what is called a "treatment" (summary of the intended show/movie) and submit it to the likes of Amazon, Netflix et al via an agency within which a relationship was already established. If successful that treatment would be purchased and then (optionally) developed into a full screen play/movie script. Only then would it have some "legs".
I don't think the brand recognition of Elite is an issue. It's reasonably well known, but you don't need to be a big name to get your story turned into a movie, game or not. You need to have the right contacts, with the right story and be able to pitch it well alongside a very generous dose of luck.
So, yes, it's possible. It's unlikely for a number of reasons, IMHO.

Cheers,
Drew.
Elite Dangerous Movie - of course it could be done. Elite's lore is more than capable of being translated to the big screen or a TV series. I'd suggest a TV series might be better suited. There are many different facets of the Elite universe that could be picked up: space politics, alien invasion, itinerate spacer-crews trying to make a buck in a tough universe...
However! The trick would be coming up with something that hasn't already been done because (and speaking here as a big fan) Elite doesn't really do anything above and beyond traditional sci-fi fare that would justify making a film or tv series as is. Elite as a setting is inspired by multiple other existent SF works itself and is heavily derivative of them. There are very few original ideas in Elite, just iteration, amalgamation and modification.
To make Elite interesting enough you'd need a compelling narrative encapsulating space trading, exploration, combat, aliens, etc etc... but with a proper story to tell that extends way beyond that. Raxxla might be the obvious candidate. How the game plays (with us being "nobodies" in the universe") is irrelevant, because the story would have to be about "somebody" in order for a narrative to be written. If it were me I'd create some archetypical character types (eg. explorer, miner, trader, combateer, political types etc... maybe even chuck the Thargoids in) and generate some actual "people" out of those and flesh out their backstories using the existing lore. You can throw a few nods to the hardcore fans that way (e.g. combateer is a heavy drinker and likes Lavian Brandy), without de-railing whatever story you come up with with dull exposition.
If an idea was developed somebody would need to write what is called a "treatment" (summary of the intended show/movie) and submit it to the likes of Amazon, Netflix et al via an agency within which a relationship was already established. If successful that treatment would be purchased and then (optionally) developed into a full screen play/movie script. Only then would it have some "legs".
I don't think the brand recognition of Elite is an issue. It's reasonably well known, but you don't need to be a big name to get your story turned into a movie, game or not. You need to have the right contacts, with the right story and be able to pitch it well alongside a very generous dose of luck.
So, yes, it's possible. It's unlikely for a number of reasons, IMHO.
- Elite doesn't have a USP (unique selling point) differentiating it from any other SF franchise
- I don't see much evidence that anyone in Fdev has the resources, skills or time to write a treatment or plot a narrative of this type
- Fdev certainly have relationships with agencies, but the fact it hasn't been done by now suggests it won't be
- The odds of any such effort being successful are low, even if everything else is done perfectly
Cheers,
Drew.
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