The shift for video games to mainstream media isn’t an uncommon occurrence, as we’ve seen films over the years based on the Super Mario Bros. and Tomb Raider franchises – even if the success hasn’t always been spot-on. Now, Sega is looking to take advantage of the process by shifting a number of its popular game properties to Hollywood.
The company has hired former Break Media executive Evan Cholfin to help transfer popular licenses to movies and TV shows, according to Variety. He serves as head of development and production for Stories International, which acts as a joint venture between Sega and advertising agency Hakuhodo DY Group. With it, the team will move forward on adapting several stories for possible Hollywood distribution.
Some of the popular licenses being considered for movie/TV treatment include Altered Beast, Streets of Rage, Shinobi, Rise of Nightmares and Crazy Taxi, to be produced as either live action or animated spin-offs in English language. Virtua Fighter and Golden Axe are also part of the portfolio, but nothing has been confirmed for those two properties just yet.
Cholfin will work alongside Stories president and CEO Tomoya Suzuki on the process, although a timetable hasn’t been given as to when we’ll see the likes of Shinobi and Crazy Taxi come to life on a bigger screen.
Along with hiring Cholfin, Sega has also invested a minority stake in All Nippon Entertainment Works, which will assist in helping the company transition into Hollywood production. It provides access to 20 Japanese rights holders for certain films, TV shows, toys, manga titles and books.
“With his impeccable taste and experience developing and producing entertainment in nearly every format imaginable, Evan is the unique executive to revitalize and canonize our partners’ brands by working with Hollywood to create stories that will last for centuries,” Suzuki said.
This is just the latest move by a game studio to give Hollywood a shot. Ubisoft has been dabbling in the business for some time with big-screen productions based on Assassin’s Creed and Watch Dogs, while Sony is continuing to attempt to move forward with a film based on its Uncharted franchise.
Now…if we could just get a Sonic the Hedgehog film on the same level as Exodus: Gods and Kings…
