What Is Fallout?
Before we get into the details of the new Fallout TV show, we first have to understand the source material. Is Fallout based on a movie, a novel, or something else? If you’ve never heard the title before, then we can understand the misconception. There have been so many novels, comics, and game adaptations these days that it can be hard to differentiate each. With that said, Fallout was originally a video game series that, like many other big titles, had multiple installments. The series started as a regular role-playing game (RPG) series created by Interplay Entertainment back in the 90s. It began in 1997 with sequels and spin-offs releasing periodically until 2018. Fallout’s world, like many other video games, was set in a post-apocalyptic universe and featured tons of action. Both the art and story were influenced by many things. Firstly, it mainly took inspiration from the 1950s US in the aftermath of war. Despite this, however, the game is more or less set in the 21st to 23rd centuries. Its atmosphere was a mixture of both the hope brought by technology and anxiety over the potential for nuclear destruction. The art matched this marriage between the past and future and incorporated both retro and atompunk aesthetics. Check it out on Kinguin!
Developers and Publishers
Before the Fallout series, Interplay Productions produced Wasteland, which was launched in 1988. At the time, the creators simply wanted to explore more of the post-apocalyptic setting they created, and this ultimately gave birth to the Fallout series launched much later. The Fallout series’ first and second installments were first developed by Black Isle Studios back in 1997. A related game, Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel, was developed later on by Micro Forté. By 2004, Interplay shut down Black Isle Studios and produced Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel for the PS2 and Xbox alone. They later handed production over to Bethesda Softworks, which produced Fallout 3, and Obsidian Entertainment, which produced Fallout: New Vegas. Fallout 4 and Fallout 76 were later released in 2015 and 2018, respectively. Currently, Bethesda Softworks is the developer that owns the rights to the Fallout series. Under their management, Interplay developed an MMORPG version of the game, but it was never finished due to legal disputes.
Influences
The threat of nuclear war was ever-present in American consciousness in the 1950s and 60s. As such, the entertainment industry created tons of films, magazines, comics, and other media to fantasize about post-war survival. The Fallout games took inspiration from that and added a bit of satire. Throughout the games, you can also clearly see the retro-futuristic influences in the art. The technology, weaponry, buildings, infrastructure, and almost everything else simply resemble the fifties with a futuristic twist. Even the menus and UI resemble the 50s to 60s-style artwork and advertisements from the Atomic Age. Apart from this, the movie “A Boy and His Dog” was also a major inspiration and influenced the game. The idea of a survivor and his pet scavenging an American desert was a particularly huge contributor to Fallout’s production. In addition, movies like the Mad Max franchise also played a role in the game’s depiction of post-apocalyptic America. One of the armor options in the original game even featured the leather jacket you see in Mad Max 2. For more video game-inspired shows, check out shows like The Witcher.
What Is the Fallout TV Show All About?
Should you watch the series adaptation of your beloved Fallout video game? Let’s find out!
Plot & Setting
The new Fallout TV show is in its early stages – that much is true. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t learn a thing or two about what the story will be like. Is it set in the same world featuring the same characters? Will the story remain the same, or will there be twists to the Fallout TV show? So far, all that we can be sure of is the setting. Fallout takes place in an alternate universe that feels very much like the USA in the 1950s. That’s right: people here are insecure and have been deathly afraid of nuclear war. Many even had nuclear bomb shelters built up – which was the right call considering Fallout explores the aftermath of that. The infamous nuclear war, or “Great War,” as the games call it, finally happened in 2077. As you would expect, this ends in disaster and brings about the iconic post-apocalyptic world you see in the games. Now, the world is ridden with ghouls, giant insects, mutated creatures, and radioactive wildlife. Apart from this, the developers of the Fallout TV show have also promised to keep the game’s tone. Hence, its harsh environment and mood, nuclear fantasies, and sense of humor should all stay the same.
Characters
Now, this post-apocalyptic world and the rich lore within the games aren’t likely to change in the Fallout TV show. However, the characters and arcs that the show will explore are still up in the air. At the time of writing, we’ve only gained knowledge about one thing: that the series will explore three main characters. Moreover, unlike most video game series adaptations, these protagonists are inspired by – but not direct copies of – existing game characters. Who are these three? Thus far, we don’t have any names yet. Nonetheless, we do have insight into what kind of people they might be. The first character is a ghoul who, in the games, is someone who’s suffered from post-war radiation. As a result, this character is disfigured and may even look like a zombie. If you’re a Fallout fan, you’d know that most ghouls hate other people who haven’t suffered the way they have. They’re usually grumpy, despise being compared to zombies, and are usually unfriendly. This makes the ghoul character the perfect bad guy – except he’s not. From what we know so far, this character will be perceived as the villain but is a good-guy protagonist. On the other hand, the second and third leads are less controversial than the ghoul. The second lead is female and is overall bubbly and cheery in disposition. Her only twist is that she has a dangerous side that she hides from most other people. Meanwhile, the third lead will play the role of an enforcer/officer wearing a spacesuit.
Platform & Episodes
What Should You Expect From the Fallout TV Show?
Is Fallout getting a TV show? Back when the news was just a rumor, fans were frantically trying to find out if it was real. Now that things have become more concrete, those same fans want even more information. So, what can you expect from the Fallout TV show? Here’s what we know so far.
Developers & Creators
With that in mind, who will be put in charge of the Fallout TV show? If you’re a fan of Westworld, then you’re in luck. This is because the show will be written by Lisa Joy and Jonathan Nolan – the makers of that very series. Of course, people from Bethesda, namely Todd Howard and James Altman, will also join in as executive producers. In addition, Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner are also part of the crew as showrunners.
Fallout TV Show Cast
What happened to the Fallout TV show in terms of casting? Unfortunately, news of casting has been a bit sparse, but we do know one thing. It’s that Walton Goggins (from Justified, The Righteous Gemstones) has recently been cast. According to Deadline, he will be playing a ghoul within Fallout’s world. Aside from this, there has been no news of additional cast members. Nonetheless, we expect more announcements to come in the following months.
Fallout TV Show Release Date
When is the Fallout TV show coming out? The very existence of the series was just announced last July 2020. With that said, the announcement is still relatively recent, so there’s no definite release date at this point. So far, the Fallout TV show is currently still under production and might release sometime in 2022 or 2023. Unfortunately, Bethesda hasn’t published a Fallout TV show trailer at this point. However, the developer did release a short teaser through their Twitter account.
Fallout vs Similar Movies/Shows
The new Fallout TV show is a much-anticipated project that fans of the franchise are already itching to watch. However, if you can’t wait that long, then you may want to satiate your thirst with a Fallout substitute. How can you do this? By watching films or shows that have a somewhat similar vibe, of course. Don’t know where to start? Check out our top picks.
1. A Boy and His Dog
Of course, we can’t leave out one of the biggest influences of the Fallout games from this list. A Boy and His Dog may be old, but it certainly inspired the game’s creators and helped establish the setting. The movie follows a boy and his telepathic dog trying to navigate a post-apocalyptic world. It’s certainly one of the best on this list and a must-watch if you’re a fan of the games.
2. Blade Runner
Fallout may take place in a post-apocalyptic world, but that doesn’t mean dystopian fiction doesn’t resemble the series. Blade Runner, while more of the latter than the former, captures some similarities. The questions it poses regarding the ethics of robotics, in particular, are reminiscent of the tensions in Fallout 4. Moreover, the film even has a retro 40s vibe, which certainly provides that same nostalgic setting.
3. Damnation Alley
Mutants and giant insects are all but normal in the world of Fallout. However, the game isn’t the first to imagine a world overrun by enormous bugs. Movies like Damnation Alley have also conceptualized something similar but mainly in the form of giant scorpions. Apart from this, the movie is also set in a post-nuclear world. However, in this film, we follow a few Air Force officers who must find the origins of an enigmatic transmission.
4. Fido
Now, dreary, dark, or depressing post-apocalyptic worlds aren’t the only ones reminiscent of Fallout. Movies like Fido also resemble the famous game – albeit more lighthearted. That’s because, despite its story taking place in a zombie apocalypse, the world Fido imagines isn’t as scary. Humans have managed to successfully domesticate the undead monsters and have made them obedient through collars. Sure, it doesn’t resemble Fallout exactly. However, the 1950s aesthetic and post-war premise both hit the mark. Moreover, the zombies in Fido resemble the ghouls that you see in the games.
5. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
The Mad Max series and the Fallout franchise have always been compared, and it’s easy to understand why. Both are set in post-apocalyptic worlds and, like many others, are filled with cults and violent groups. Moreover, many regard the Mad Max series as the origin of post-apocalyptic fiction – or at least the one that popularized it. The Fallout games even gave nods to it through a familiar-looking dog, similar guns, and a Mad Max costume.
6. Radioactive Dreams
This sci-fi film isn’t as popular as modern franchises. However, it does have its merits and even has a loyal fanbase. What is it about? Like Fallout, the movie takes place in the post-nuclear USA and follows characters who only survived because of fallout shelters. In the aftermath of all the destruction, the protagonists decide it’s time to go back out into the world. However, it’s not going to be easy with the world being filled with only violent human factions or mutants.
7. Six-String Samurai
If you played Fallout: New Vegas then a certain Samurai trophy might have caught your eye. However, unlike what most people may think nowadays, it’s not just some throwaway prop. It’s a callback to the iconic film, Six-String Samurai. Of course, this reference isn’t the only thing that ties the two together. That’s because the game franchise does seem to take inspiration from the famous movie. Like Fallout, Six-String Samurai is set in the post-nuclear USA that retains bits of 50s culture. Of course, the story might be different, but we won’t spoil that for you. Check it out for yourself if you want to experience what the Fallout TV show might have in store for you.
8. The Book of Eli
Looking for yet another post-nuclear USA setting in the form of a movie? If that’s the case, then we recommend none other than The Book of Eli. Sure, the movie didn’t get as much hype as other blockbuster films. Nonetheless, it did catch the eye of many Fallout 3 fans. That’s because both the visuals and the premise are fairly similar. Like Fallout 3, you follow one man who’s bent on traveling across the US to achieve his goal. However, the goals of the protagonists differ. One is on a quest to look for his dad while the other just needs to transport a book.
9. Them!
It’s no secret that the Fallout games were heavily inspired by the 1950s and the era’s media. That’s why we recommend “Them!” – a fictional film produced exactly during that decade. What’s it about? Like Fallout, it fantasizes and dramatizes the consequences of the nuclear mutation. This time, however, the movie heavily features giant ants that threaten peace in America. The movie’s central conflict revolves around the difficulty humans have to deal with in the face of these giants. While the premise may seem silly now, it embodied real fears that the generation at the time faced. How will nuclear energy impact the environment, and is it good for us? That’s something both this movie and the Fallout franchise have in common.
Is the New Fallout Show Worth Waiting For?
