‘Half-Life,' 'Portal' News: JJ Abrams Confirms Valve Games Movie Plans in Progress, Trilogy Possible?

Half-Life half life 3 Portal Valve Gabe Newell 10 Cloverfield Lane Dan Trachtenberg j.j. abrams Star Wars

By Z.M. , Parent Herald Mar 14, 06:00 pm

Although "Half-Life 3" is nowhere in sight just yet, film plans by J.J. Abrams and Valve head Gabe Newell are well and alive. "Star Wars" director J.J. Abrams confirmed that the "Half-Life" film is now in development.

Screen Rant reports that the plan to churn out films for Valve games "Half-Life" and "Portal" was first hatched by J.J. Abrams and Gabe Newell in 2013. The recent confirmation by J.J. Abrams that work on "Half-Life" and "Portal are progressing, albeit on the slow side, is still reassuring. Fans of "Half-Life," in particular, have been counting years in their wait for the third instalment to the popular Valve game.

A separate Parent Herald story reports that Valve may have altogether abandoned any development of "Half-Life 3." A fan-made game called "Prospekt" based on "Half-Life 2" might be the closest that fans can come to a follow-up. "Prospekt" had been endorsed by Valve as a Steam offering for "Half-Life" followers.

According to IGN, J.J. Abrams was asked if an update is available for the "Half-Life" and "Portal" films during an interview for "10 Cloverfield Lane." "Not yet," Abrams said. "But they're in development, and we've got writers, and we're working on both those stories. But nothing that would be exciting... an exciting update."

Some have speculated that progress on "Half-Life" and "Portal" may be more than J.J. Abrams had let on. Given how stealthily J.J. Abrams had been able to produce breakaway hit "10 Cloverfield Lane," "Half-Life" and "Portal" may possibly be given a similar treatment.

"10 Cloverfield Lane" director Dan Trachtenberg broke into showbiz periphery with the success of his fan film "Portal: No Escape." Will Dan Trachtenberg also be asked to helm the "Half-Life" and "Portal" films that J.J. Abrams and Gabe Newell are planning?

J.J. Abrams says that the Half-Life and Portal movies are still happening! https://t.co/E6ABHqHDSP pic.twitter.com/VfeuicMij7

— IGN (@IGN) March 12, 2016

Hardcore Valve fans are aware that the "Half-Life" games and "Portal" belong to the same universe. Could a trilogy then be a possibility for the "Half-Life" and "Portal" films?