
Background information
Life Is Strange was my substitute home when I had to leave my real one
by Cassie Mammone
The successful franchise "Life is Strange" is being adapted into a series. Amazon Prime Video is adapting the story about friendship, time travel and difficult decisions.
What began as an episodic indie game is now becoming an international series production: Amazon Prime Video has officially announced a live-action adaptation of Life is Strange. The series is based on the video game of the same name from Dontnod Entertainment and Square Enix, which has been celebrated for its emotional depth, narrative strength and socially relevant topics since its release in 2015.
The series adaptation is being created under the direction of Charlie Covell, who has already made a name for herself with Netflix productions such as «The End of the F**ing World» and «Kaos». Covell serves as showrunner, screenwriter and executive producer. Covell identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns. In a statement, Covell emphasises the personal connection to the original:
I'm a huge fan of the game and can't wait to share Max and Chloe's story with other players and a new audience.
The series is produced by Amazon MGM Studios in partnership with Story Kitchen and LuckyChap, Margot Robbie's production company, which most recently enjoyed worldwide success with «Barbie».
According to the official logline, the series will be closely based on the story of the first game. It centres on Max, a young photography student who discovers that she can turn back time. When she uses this ability to save the life of her best friend Chloe, the two become entangled in a web of secrets and moral dilemmas. Together, they investigate the mysterious disappearance of a classmate and come across the dark side of their hometown of Arcadia Bay.
The central question of the series remains the same as in the game: How far would you go to save someone you love - even if it means losing everything else?
Life is Strange» has long been more than a one-off success. After its debut, further games followed with «Life is Strange: Before the Storm» (2017) and «Life is Strange 2» (2018), which put new characters and perspectives centre stage. With «Life is Strange: True Colors» (2021), the franchise expanded its universe to include the empathically gifted protagonist Alex Chen.
Only last year, «Life is Strange: Double Exposure» was released, another instalment that keeps the series fresh for newcomers and fans alike. My colleague Cassie categorised it in her review.
The emotional bond that many players have built up with the series is also reflected in very personal stories. For example, my colleague Cassie describes in her article «Life is Strange was my substitute home when I had to leave my real one» how much of an impact the games can have far beyond the pure gameplay.
There is no information yet about the cast or the start of production. A specific release date has also yet to be set. But one thing is clear: expectations are high. «Life is Strange» is considered a milestone in narrative game design and has built up a loyal fan base. The challenge for Covell and the production team will be to transfer the emotional depth and visual aesthetics of the game to a new medium.
My interests are varied, I just like to enjoy life. Always on the lookout for news about darts, gaming, films and series.