It looks as if 2017 will be an otherwise reassuring year for gamers and the prospects of live-action adaptations apart from Warner Bros.’s Mortal Kombat which finally crewed up with a director. Five years in the making with Sega and Hakuhodo DY’s Stories International leading the way for a slate of upcoming game adaptations including Shinobi, the company issued an official press release on Monday detailing their advancement on two more titles: Beat ‘Em Up fantasy actioners, Altered Beast and Street Of Rage.
Read the announcement below!
STORIES INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS WITH “THE WALKING DEAD” PRODUCERS CIRCLE OF CONFUSION ON FILM & TV ADAPTATIONS OF HIT SEGA FRANCHISES “ALTERED BEAST” AND “STREETS OF RAGE”
STORIES INTERNATIONAL has partnered with Circle of Confusion, executive producers of “The Walking Dead”, to produce filmed entertainment adaptations of “Altered Beast” and “Streets of Rage”, based on the respective SEGA video game franchises, and will explore opportunities for both titles in film and television.
Tomoya Suzuki, President and CEO of STORIES INTERNATIONAL, INC., the production arm and joint venture of renowned video game brand SEGA Group and Hakuhodo DY Group, will produce the projects with Circle of Confusion partner Lawrence Mattis and Julian Rosenberg. Evan J. Cholfin, Head of Development and Production, will executive produce the projects for STORIES.
Production-management company Circle of Confusion also produces “Fear the Walking Dead,” “The Talking Dead,” “Powers,” “Outcast,” and “Dirk Gently.” Its recent films include “Spare Parts,” “American Ultra,” and “Mr. Right,” starring Sam Rockwell and Anna Kendrick. Circle partner David Engel executive produced “Straight Out of Compton”.
STORIES is producing multiple film and television projects based on SEGA’s fan-favorite game franchises, including “Shinobi” with Marc Platt, “Golden Axe”, “Virtua Fighter”, “The House of the Dead”, and “Crazy Taxi”, and is in the process of partnering with the major studios, producers and filmmakers to co-develop adaptations of these properties as English-language feature films and television series for worldwide release.
Mattis explains, “These are some of the most well loved SEGA games, and we are thrilled to be working with STORIES to adapt them into major film and television franchises.”
Suzuki adds, “With Lawrence and his team at Circle of Confusion, we are beyond excited to work alongside them to develop and produce these projects. We look forward to seeing the Centurion from ‘Altered Beast’ rise from his grave, and the ‘Streets of Rage’ heroes Adam, Axel and Blaze fight to take their city back on a screen near you.”
Suzuki, STORIES, and Circle of Confusion are all repped by CAA.