Microsoft’s three million plus selling Xbox 360 romp Gears of War is to be turned into a Hollywood movie following New Line Cinema’s swoop to capture the rights.

Next Generation reports that Stuart Beattie, whose writing credits include Collateral and Derailed, is already at work on a script for the film.

Gears of War has to date sold over three million copies worldwide and has displaced Bungie’s Halo 2 as the most played game on Xbox Live. A Halo movie was also in the pipeline, with Lord of the Rings developer Peter Jackson at the helm, but financing troubles have forced the project to be put on hold.