Netflix Buys ‘Tom Clancy’s The Division’ Starring Jessica Chastain and Jake Gyllenhaal

By Dave McNary

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Netflix has bought distribution to Ubisoft’s “Tom Clancy’s The Division,” a video game adaptation starring Jessica Chastain and Jake Gyllenhaal.

David Leitch, whose credits include “Deadpool 2” and “Hobbs & Shaw,” is directing the project, which was announced Monday at E3 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Rafe Judkins is adapting the screenplay.

The story is set in the near future with a pandemic virus spread via paper money on Black Friday, decimating the city of New York and killing millions. By Christmas, what’s left of society has descended into chaos. A group of civilians, trained to operate in catastrophic times, are activated in an attempt to save who and what remains.

87North Productions, Gyllenhaal’s Nine Stories, Chastain’s Freckle Films and Ubisoft Film and Television are producing the film.

“Tom Clancy’s The Division” became the fastest-selling new video game in history and currently has more than 20 million players. A sequel launched in March.

Chastain was nominated for Academy Awards for “Zero Dark Thirty” and “The Help.” Her other credits include “Molly’s Game,” “The Martian,” “A Most Violent Year” and “The Zookeeper’s Wife.” She can be seen currently in “Dark Phoenix” and will appear next in “It: Chapter 2.”

Gyllenhaal received an Oscar nomination for “Brokeback Mountain” and also appeared in “Nightcrawler,” “Nocturnal Animals” and “Stronger.”