A new voyage is set to sail for the hit video game “Sea of Thieves” with an upcoming film adaptation.
The beloved open-world game offers players a chance to explore vast worlds as pirates and has garnered a cult following since its launch in 2018.
Its deep emphasis on community is what makes the game so appealing and Microsoft seems keen to bring the open sea adventure to the big screen.
Players take the wheel?
Xbox’s Chief Content Officer, Matt Booty, confirmed the new project in an exclusive interview with Entertainment Weekly.
When he was asked about what the movie will specifically be about given the game’s more social and co-op-based nature, Booty emphasised the importance of community and how it can be translated into linear storytelling platforms like films.
“The main character of a ‘Sea of Thieves’ game is actually the player and the community,” he said.
“So if you sit down to think about ‘Sea of Thieves’, it’s not, ‘Who are the main characters?’ ‘What’s the plot?’”
“It’s a super social game, but there’s a tone to ‘Sea of Thieves’.”
“It’s built on a very cooperative community, so you can start to sense what that’s going to be like.”
While a director has not been revealed yet, Destin Daniel Cretton will be on board to produce the film through his production company, Hisako.
Cretton is known in Marvel circles as the director of “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” and the new “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” which is slated for release next month.
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Building community in pixelated open seas
Developed by Rare and published by Xbox Game Studios, “Sea of Thieves” is an open-world sandbox game that allows players to live their lives as pirates with their friends as they complete voyages, plunder lost treasures, and even battle it out with other pirates.
It remains popular to this day, and has even debuted in other gaming platforms like the Playstation 5.
The game has received expansions from its British developer over the years that have unlocked new areas, gameplay types and story quests to ensure a thriving community within its pixelated seas.
Its charm also appealed to critics alike.
“Sea of Thieves” won the 17th British Academy Games Awards in the Best Evolving Game category, among other accolades, and has been nominated in other awards shows such as the Game Awards 2018, when it was up for the Best Multiplayer Game.
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Xbox takes the leap
The movie adaptation is part of Xbox’s leap into the vast world of the entertainment industry.
One of the more popular endeavors based on Microsoft titles is “A Minecraft Movie” directed by Jared Hess, which went on to become the fifth highest-grossing film at the box office in 2025.
A sequel to the Minecraft movie has already been announced, alongside other major projects such as a live-action movie and animated series of “Gears of War” on Netflix, a live-action television show of “Wolfenstein” on Amazon and another season of the hit dystopian series “Fallout.”
“Sea of Thieves” will be looking to ride the waves of these successes, and perhaps it’s about time we heed the call of the open sea for a new swashbuckling adventure.
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Elan Castanares 
Newsjustnews writers 
Mary Mae Balasanos