Thescreescore – The upcoming film Ibelin, based on the inspiring true story of World of Warcraft gamer Mats Steen, has announced its initial cast. The movie, titled after Steen’s in-game avatar Ibelin Redmoore, will tell the story of his life, both inside and outside the virtual world.
Steen, who lived with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, found community and connection through World of Warcraft, becoming a well-known figure within the game. He passed away in 2014 at the age of 25.
The cast for Ibelin includes Charlie Plummer (The Long Walk), Stephen Graham (Adolescence), Toni Collette (Hereditary), Isabela Merced (The Last of Us), Maisy Stella (My Old Ass), and Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs).
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Morten Tyldum, known for his Academy Award-nominated direction in The Imitation Game (2014) and Passengers (2016), will direct Ibelin. The screenplay is being penned by Ilaria Bernardini (Citadel: Diana) and Hossein Amini (The Wings of the Dove).
Ibelin will draw from Steen’s blog, "Musings of Life," and will also focus on his relationships with fellow gamers and his family. Production is scheduled to begin in Europe in the spring or summer of 2026.
Steen’s story was previously explored in the documentary The Remarkable Life of Ibelin, which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and is available on Netflix. The documentary received positive reviews, highlighting the impact Steen had on those around him.
Ibelin aims to provide a different perspective on the world of gaming than the Warcraft (2016) film, which received a 29% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes. Instead of adapting a fictional universe, Ibelin will tell the story of a real person and the community that changed his life.
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