Lionsgate Acquires ‘Streets of Rage’ Movie Adaptation Based on Hit Sega Game

thewrap.com:

Lionsgate has landed the motion picture adaption of the hit Sega videogame phenomenon “Streets of Rage,” according to an individual with knowledge of the project.“John Wick” writer Derek Kolstad is penning the adaptation and producing alongside Sega’s Toru Nakahara, dj2 Entertainment’s Dmitri M.

Johnson, Timothy I. Stevenson, and Dan Jevons, and Escape Artists’ Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and Tony Shaw.“Streets of Rage” was one of the most popular videogame franchises of the ’90s, with Sega publishing three games between 1991 and 1994.

In 2020, the long-awaited fourth game in the series was released, which received rave reviews and became a bestseller. The franchise has maintained a cult following and been widely regarded for its influential gameplay and music.“When Dmitri first mentioned the idea of cracking a ‘Streets of Rage’ movie, I was so immediately freaking in,” Kolstad said in a statement. “And to play with Sega?

The 10-year-old me is still grinning.”Erin Westerman, president of Production, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, added: “The game has a rich world and narrative and we’re thrilled to be reuniting with Derek to bring it to life.”Toru Nakahara, producer for “Sonic the Hedgehog 1 & 2” and executive producer for “Sonic Prime,” added: “Lionsgate is one of the most dynamic studios in the entertainment industry today.