Bioware to debut Anthem trailer by director Neill Blomkamp

Published , by Charles Singletary Jr

EA and BioWare are teaming up with one of Hollywood's best sci-fi directors to bring the upcoming online shooter Anthem to life. This Thursday, February 14, 2019, Neill Blomkamp's live-action short Conviction will give fans a glimpse into the events set decades before the beginning of the game.

Conviction will see Fort Tarsis, the main hub in Anthem, come to life and also show what Javelin exosuits looks like when rendered using photorealistic visual effects. You can get a peek at what to expect in the teaser below:

“I was really blown away by this incredible world BioWare created the very first time I saw Anthem,” Neill Blomkamp said in the press release for the announcement. “Conviction sets the stage with a narrative that touches on Anthem’s beautiful and immersive world, which is ripe for exploration by these powerful Javelins. A world where danger is lurking on every ledge and in each valley.”

Considering Anthem's focus on science fiction and exosuits, Neill Blomkamp is essentially a no-brainer when it comes to ideal directors and visionaries to bring the game's world to life. If you aren't familiar, Blomkamp is an Academy Award-nominated director of films such as District 9, Elysium, and Chappie. In 2017, he created his own film production company Oats Studios and even released a collection of experiment shorts called Oats Studios Volume 1 on Steam.

Revealed in the official Anthem blog post about the upcoming short, the partnership between Neill Blomkamp and BioWare started when Anthem as announced and Neil tweeted out "Anthem from @bioware looks so cool." That reveal and tweet snowballed into the collaboration they revealed today and will hopefully blossom into more opportunities for all parties. On Blomkamp's Twitter thread sharing the Conviction teaser, someone threw out the idea of Neill directing a Dead Space movie. Could you imagine?

Conviction, the live action Anthem short, goes live February 14, 2019 at 7:30 AM PT. Anthem launches February 22, 2019, on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Check out the many other titles coming this year in the 2019 release date schedule and stay tuned to Shacknews for additional updates.