The last time word surfaced about a possible film adaptation of futuristic actioner Mass Effect, it appeared that a film version was still a distant reality. At the time, BioWare project director Casey Hudson said the company was just "looking at [its] options."

　　It seems that the option-seeking time frame has already concluded, with confirmation today that Legendary Pictures has signed a deal with EA and BioWare to produce a film based on the expansive sci-fi game universe. According to Deadline New York, the Mass Effect 2 film will be cofinanced and distributed by Warner Bros.

　　No details yet on whether Shepard will be a man or a woman in the film.

　　Writer Mark Protosevich--who wrote the screenplay for I Am Legend and the upcoming Thor film--is said to be in talks to pen the script. Mass Effect isn't the only game-based title on Legendary's slate, with the company also working on a World of Warcraft movie being helmed by Spider-Man director Sam Raimi. The game's story follows the adventures of Commander Shepard, whose ongoing mission is to stop an impending galactic invasion of a seemingly all-powerful alien race known as the Reapers.

　　Mass Effect joins a growing list of game-to-film adaptations currently in the works. Apart from the aforementioned Warcraft film, TV network SyFy is making a telefilm based on THQ's Red Faction games, while Warner Bros. is on track to produce another Mortal Kombat film. And then of course there's the Prince of Persia movie, opening worldwide this month.