Amazon saw how well Fallout worked and, surprise, it wants more. Next up: a live-action take on Life Is Strange, the choice-driven, time-bending game that had people ugly-crying back in 2015. Variety says it is officially a go at Prime Video.
So, what are they adapting?
Life Is Strange started as an episodic adventure series about Max Caulfield, an 18-year-old photography student who discovers she can rewind time. The whole thing runs on butterfly-effect logic: tweak a moment now, and watch the future twist in ways you absolutely did not plan for. In the games, those rewinds lead to branching storylines based on your choices; the show will have to translate that vibe without making us sit with a controller. Tricky, but potentially great.
Who is steering this thing?
Amazon has tapped writer-showrunner Charlie Covell, best known for The End of the F***ing World and Netflix’s Kaos. Covell will also executive produce. The project is coming straight from the game’s original publisher, Square Enix, with Amazon MGM Studios onboard alongside LuckyChap and Story Kitchen.
- Writer/Showrunner/EP: Charlie Covell (The End of the F***ing World, Kaos)
- Executive Producers (Story Kitchen): Dmitri M. Johnson, Mike Goldberg, Timothy I. Stevenson
- Studios/Companies: Amazon MGM Studios, Square Enix, Story Kitchen, LuckyChap
Story Kitchen is treating this like a long time coming:
"Story Kitchen has always believed that Life Is Strange deserved to be more than just a game – it’s a cultural touchstone... Together, this thoughtfully assembled dream team is ready to share Life Is Strange with the world in an entirely new way!"
Covell, meanwhile, is very much a fan first:
"I am a massive fan of the game... I can’t wait to share Max and Chloe’s story with fellow players and new audiences alike."
Why this makes sense (and where the games stand)
The original Life Is Strange landed in 2015 and drew a ton of praise for its characters and storytelling. Later entries have been more divisive: Life Is Strange 2 rolled out across 2018 and 2019 in two parts, and this year’s Life Is Strange: Double Exposure also pulled mixed reactions. Fans tend to circle back to the first game as the franchise’s sweet spot, which is probably why the show is centering on Max (and, based on Covell’s comment, Chloe).
The inside baseball
There’s a bit of an industry subtext here. Amazon, fresh off a hit with Fallout, is doubling down on gamer IP that already comes with built-in emotional stakes. Life Is Strange isn’t just another action title; it’s intimate, character-driven, and structurally ambitious. Translating choice-based storytelling to a linear series is a challenge, but if they nail the tone and the consequences, there’s a real shot at something special.