Fallout‘s April 11th premiere is quickly approaching, and Prime Video has gifted us with more images from the apocalyptic series. The series stars Ella Purnell (Yellowjackets), Aaron Moten (Emancipation) and Walton Goggins (The Hateful Eight). The recent images, interviews with the director, Jonathan Nolan, and background of the three main characters provide a lot to think about before the series premiere this month on Prime Video.
Plot & Characters of Prime Video’s Fallout Series
Ella Purnell is Lucy, an optimistic Vault-dweller with an all-American can-do spirit. Her peaceful and idealistic nature is tested when she is forced to the surface to rescue her father. Aaron Moten is Maximus, a young soldier who rises to the rank of squire in the militaristic faction called Brotherhood of Steel. He will do anything to further the Brotherhood’s goals of bringing law and order to the wasteland. Walton Goggins is the Ghoul, a morally ambiguous bounty hunter who holds within him a 200-year history of the post-nuclear world. These disparate parties collide when chasing an artifact from an enigmatic researcher that has the potential to radically change the power dynamic in this world.
Jonathan Nolan’s Take on Fallout’s World
It makes sense for a director like Nolan, whose previous work includes HBO’s Westworld, to work on adapting something with such an abundance of storytelling potential. I’m calmed by the fact Nolan played any of the games at all, but I love what he has to say about his experience with Fallout 3. In an interview, Nolan had described the games as “simultaneously epic, dramatic, dark, emotional, but also political, satirical and crazy, deeply funny – almost goofy.”
The factions and groups of people that pop up from the collapse of society will be foundational for this adaptation. There’s a lot to account for, but I’m hoping we see raiders, children of atom, those factions from Fallout: New Vegas, gunners, mutants, caravans, and plenty more. It’s exciting to hear about Nolan diving into the combination of absurdity and survival in this upcoming series. Hearing and reading about Nolan’s excitement when teaming up with the showrunners and writer’s room has me beyond excited for what’s to come.
Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner join Nolan to write up the story of Fallout and they bring a mixture of experience in comedy, action, and thrillers. The merging of sci-fi and comedy can be found in combining two minds in the story’s development and writing. It seems that Nolan and others on the crew found out that two minds were better than one when leading the story of Lucy, The Ghoul, and Maximus.
Lucy & The Wasteland: Not in Vault 33 Anymore
Purnell’s character, Lucy, is set to arrive in the vast Wasteland of California after societal collapse but her privileged background may make this tougher for her than she thought. When I think of the residents inside a place like Vault 33 (or really a majority from the games), I get visions of the film Pleasantville. Everyone is protective over the smooth and easy-going structure of the neighborhood. This environment alongside idealistic solutions for conflict give Lucy a difficult path ahead outside the vault.
Lucy is the daughter of Vault 33’s overseer (Kyle MacLachlan) and provides a look at what the world of Fallout would think of as the ideal vault-dweller. According to recent interviews, Purnell used some unique inspiration for her character such as Ellie Kemper in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Leslie Knope in Parks and Recreation, and Ned Flanders from The Simpsons.
In regard to her character’s original home, Purnell explains her thoughts on Vault 33:
If the entire function of the vault is to create generations and generations and generations of vault dwellers who truly believe that their entire life’s purpose is to rebuild America, how does that influence your attitudes towards relationships, towards sex, towards education and reform?”
The Ghoul: Hollywood Icon to Fallout Bounty Hunter
Goggins character, the Ghoul, has a very California-style origin story filled to the brim with experiences and a long history in pre- and post-apocalypse Hollywood. The inspiration for his performance comes from a similarly isolated character in popular media, Wolverine, who had seen time come and go as he only progressed past loved ones and life itself.
From previously released clips, we meet Ghoul in a marketplace called “Filly” and he becomes an introduction to residents of the wasteland according to the showrunners. Witnessing the introduction of a character like Ghoul in the marketplace clip, it’s obvious how the bits and pieces from Fallout 3 impacted choices for Nolan.
The Brotherhood of Steel: Sparta of Fallout
Moten’s character, Maximus, is on a journey to become a part of the Brotherhood of Steel in Fallout. A devout and complicated army of pre-war technology devotees, this wasteland faction brings out a spartan lifestyle for those involved. Moten has said about the faction, “They are certainly capable of monstrosities in the wasteland as well. They want to project this sense of power and violence, and they want to control the wasteland.” This isn’t far off from the truth if you’ve played any of the games.
Maximus’ life is set on finding what is a goal noble-enough for him to pursue and it might end up not being with the Brotherhood of Steel. Morten apparently had a tough job figuring out how he should move in the iconic power armor suit, but assistance from his stunt double, Adam Shipley, proved to be crucial in lightening the literal weight of it all.
According to recent interviews, Maximus will be venturing out on a solo mission for the Brotherhood of Steel that may encounter other factions like the Enclave and the New California Republic. It’s easier said than done when figuring out where the faction lands in terms of morality (especially from game to game in the series). The pressures will become complicated and ever shifting for Morten’s character in the wasteland.
Prime Video’s Fallout & Its Future
Nolan, like many fans, hope for the potential to broaden with any season expansions announced. For now, it becomes a waiting game for the writers, the cast, and the fan-base. A lot of inspiration for the future plans for Fallout come from Buffy the Vampire Slayer series for Nolan. Expanding upon more factions, states, characters, vaults, and more is just ahead for those involved as long as Prime Video continues the series. Fallout will begin its journey on the streaming platform on April 11, when all episodes will be available to watch.
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