The John Wick franchise turned creator and screenwriter Derek Kolstad into a household name among action movie fans when the first installment bowed. Now Lionsgate is expanding its relationship with Kolstad for his next potential franchise. Deadline brings word that Lionsgate has acquired to rights to Kolstad’s adaptation of Streets of Rage, based on the Sega video game franchise of the same name.
Kolstad was previously announced as the film’s scribe back in April. The project already had dj2 Entertainment (the same studio behind Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog films) onboard as a producer. Regardless, Lionsgate’s involvement indicates strong confidence in Kolstad’s script. Brady Fujikawa and Jon Humphrey have been tasked with shepherding the project on behalf of the studio. Additionally, Shuji Utsumi and Toru Nakahara will oversee the movie for Sega.
The original Streets of Rage came out on the Genesis in 1991. Gamers took control of Adam, Axel, or Blaze, three ex-cops who protected their city from Mr. X and his criminal syndicate. Two sequels followed in 1992 and 1994, both of which added new characters to the playable roster. Nearly 30 years later, a long-delayed fourth installment was released for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft Windows.
RELATED: Derek Kolstad is Adapting Sega’s Streets of Rage As a Film
The film adaptation doesn’t have a director yet. However, most of the talent currently involved seem to share a common love for the original video games. In fact, dj2’s Dmitri M. Johnson said that he’s been wanting to make a Streets of Rage movie since he was 12 years old and called the film a “dream project” that already has a “dream team” to bring it to life.
“When Dmitri first mentioned the idea of cracking a Streets of Rage movie, I was so immediately freaking in,” said Kolstad in his own statement. “And to play with Sega? The 10-year-old me is still grinning.”
“Lionsgate is one of the most dynamic studios in the entertainment industry today,” added Nakahara. “We look forward to working with them, Derek and our all-star producers to bring this compelling IP to life.”
Are you happy to hear that Streets of Rage finally has a studio partner? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Playing: Streets of Rage 4 (PlayStation 4)
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