The film 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” film franchise masterminds, Pat Casey and Josh Miller.
In addition to the “Sonic” duo, “The Harder They Fall” filmmaker Jeymes Samuel has joined the project to direct.
Casey and Miller board the “Streets of Rage” movie 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” movies and Amazon’s “Life Is Strange” TV series producer Story Kitchen (formerly dj2 Entertainment).
Plot details are being kept under wraps, but the “Streets of Rage” film 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 selection, “Streets of Rage” was one of the most popular video game series of the 1990s and has remained a top selling title over the decades. The franchise launched a fourth game in 2020, which sold more than 2.5 million copies within its first year, reaching 20th on the U.S. downloads chart and 14th on the U.K. sales chart.
Along with Sega and Paramount Pictures’ “Sonic the Hedgehog” film trilogy, which has grossed more than $1 billion worldwide to date, Casey and Miller are best known for the Universal franchise “Violent Night,” starring David Harbour, and are currently writing the horror comedy feature “Dead Drunk” for producer Graham King’s GK Films.
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 film chief Erin Westerman said. “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” movie will 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 executive producing. Elena Sandoval is an EP for Story Kitchen.
James Myers and Pavan Kalidindi will oversee the project 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 Law. Story Kitchen is repped by WME and Pryor Cashman.
The deal was negotiated by Phil Strina for Lionsgate.
