The movie adaptation of Sega‘s iconic “Streets of Rage” video game is alive and well at Lionsgate and has found its new writers: Paramount Pictures’ “Sonic the Hedgehog” movie franchise masterminds, Pat Casey and Josh Miller.
Along with the “Sonic” duo, “The Harder They Fall” filmmaker Jeymes Samuel has joined the challenge to direct.
Casey and Miller board the “Streets of Rage” film following the exit of Derek Kolstad, who had written an earlier draft of the screenplay after Lionsgate first acquired the rights in 2022 alongside “Sonic the Hedgehog” films and Amazon’s “Life Is Strange” TV series producer Story Kitchen (previously dj2 Leisure).
Plot particulars are being saved underneath wraps, however the “Streets of Rage” movie adaptation is described as leaning “heavily into the cult classic game known for its iconic characters, acclaimed electronic soundtracks and beat ’em up action.”
Beloved for its beat ’em up gameplay and influential music choice, “Streets of Rage” was probably the most in style online game collection of the Nineteen Nineties and has remained a prime promoting title over the a long time. The franchise launched a fourth recreation in 2020, which offered greater than 2.5 million copies inside its first yr, reaching twentieth on the U.S. downloads chart and 14th on the U.Ok. gross sales chart.
Together with Sega and Paramount Photos’ “Sonic the Hedgehog” movie trilogy, which has grossed greater than $1 billion worldwide thus far, Casey and Miller are finest identified for the Common franchise “Violent Night,” starring David Harbour, and are at the moment writing the horror comedy characteristic “Dead Drunk” for producer Graham King’s GK Movies.
Samuel wrote, directed and produced the BAFTA winner “The Harder They Fall,” and wrote and directed “The Book of Clarence.”
“We and our partners at Sega knew that ‘Streets of Rage’ demanded a bold filmmaker,” Lionsgate movie chief Erin Westerman mentioned. “Jeymes Samuel’s visceral and explosive style — not to mention his signature use of unforgettable music — is perfect for audiences both familiar with and new to the series. We are so excited for how he will bring his own memorable take to this beloved video game IP.”
The “Streets of Rage” film can be produced by Sega’s Toru Nakahara, Story Kitchen’s Dmitri M. Johnson, Michael Lawrence Goldberg and Timothy I. Stevenson, and Escape Artists’ Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Tony Shaw, and Kolstad. Casey and Miller are government producing. Elena Sandoval is an EP for Story Kitchen.
James Myers and Pavan Kalidindi will oversee the challenge for Lionsgate. Shuji Utsumi and Nakahara are overseeing for Sega. Johnson is overseeing for Story Kitchen. Shaw is overseeing for Escape Artists.
Samuel is repped by CAA and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole. Casey and Miller are repped by CAA, Gotham Group, and VanderKloot Legislation. Story Kitchen is repped by WME and Pryor Cashman.
The deal was negotiated by Phil Strina for Lionsgate.
