Since Duncan Jones’ plans to pursue a Warcraft sequel have been put on hold, the director has since shifted focus towards his 12-year passion project, Mute. Netflix announced earlier yesterday that the film has started early production with a scheduled release sometime in 2017.

In the full announcement, Netflx states:

“The much-anticipated project comes from a story Jones created twelve years ago.  The film follows Leo (Skarsgård), a mute man searching for a missing person in the year 2052 in Berlin while dueling with two rogue villains played by Rudd and Justin Theroux.  Jones co-wrote the script with Michael Robert Johnson (Sherlock Holmes).  Charles J.D. Schlissel serves as executive producer along with co-producers Henning Molfenter, Charlie Woebcken, Christoph Fisser of Studio Babelsberg.”

Jones himself also revealed,

“Mute is an encapsulation of everything I am fascinated by; noir, science fiction, and unique people in trouble because of who and what they are.  I’m delighted to be able to return to Berlin for the shoot, a place I lived for a period of time growing up, and I’m excited to be working with Netflix on a film that is so close to my heart.”

In an interview with Empire magazine, Jones described the film as “a thriller with a very weird tone. It goes very dark, then it also goes very darkly funny. It’s science-fiction urban, so it certainly owes some of its influence to Blade Runner.”

Jones has expressed desire to return to the Warcraft film universe, but a sequel (or a planned trilogy) would depend on how well the first film does financially overall. With moderate box office haul of $430 million worldwide, the future of the franchise is up in the air.

At least we have Mute to look forward to in 2017. In other (sort of) Warcraft news – check out what major member of the World of Warcraft team is stepping down here.