Shinobi, the classic action franchise from Sega, is officially getting a live-action movie under Universal Pictures. This follows Sega’s immense success with the live-action Sonic the Hedgehog movies that have collectively racked up over $700 million worldwide.
As reported by Anime News Network, the live-action Shinobi movie will be directed by Sam Hargrave, best known for directing the 2020 action movie, Extraction, starring Chris Hemsworth. The script will be written by Ken Kobayashi, whose previous credits include Marvel’s Hit-Monkey and the TV series Sunny. Marc Platt and Adam Siegal will serve as producers on the live-action adaptation.
Sega announced during The Game Awards 2023 that a new Shinobi game was in the works. The franchise originally started back in 1987 with arcade games known for their brutally challenging nature and stylish presentation. It seems like Sega’s plans to revive its dormant franchises and intellectual properties counts for more than just new video games as live-action movie adaptations are also on the table.
In related news, the live-action Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is set to release this December. The first trailer debuted in August which confirmed John Wick and Cyberpunk 2077 actor Keanu Reeves as the voice of Shadow. Ben Schwartz will return alongside Idris Elba to voice Sonic and Knuckles, respectively.
The synopsis for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 reads:
“Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails reunite against a powerful new adversary, Shadow, a mysterious villain with powers unlike anything they have faced before. With their abilities outmatched, Team Sonic must seek out an unlikely alliance.”
The live-action Shinobi movie doesn’t have a release date yet. In the meantime, check out the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 trailer below:
Source: Anime News Network
