One of SEGA's most prolific video game franchises is getting a new movie adaptation that will take "Shinobi's" 8-bit pixel gameplay to the larger screen, recently being given the green light for its production. Universal Pictures is yet again the company that backs another video game-to-movie adaptation, following its iconic success in one of last year's top movies at the box office.
Additionally, "Shinobi" also named its director who hails from his experiences with Netflix's renowned "Extraction" films which focused on adrenaline-packed action and centered on mercenaries.
SEGA's 'Shinobi' Game is Coming as a Movie From Universal
SEGA's renowned arcade and console game, "Shinobi," is now confirmed to be getting its dedicated movie adaptation (via ComicBook Gaming) that will be led by Universal Pictures in its development for the silver screen. It was revealed that the game franchise's renowned protagonist, Joe Musashi, will be the lead character in the game, playing his pivotal ninja role from the previous titles.
While Universal Pictures already gave its go-signal for the movie adaptation, it remains unknown if they will deliver a live-action or animated film to the public, and details about its release date remain unclear.
Additionally, it was not revealed if "Shinobi" will be adopted into a modern reimagining of the story or bring the audience back to the late 1980s with a retro showcase of this upcoming movie.
'Extraction' Director to Lead 'Shinobi' But Can He Deliver?
The report also revealed that Universal has named "Shinobi's" director which will lead the experience, with Sam Hargrave leading its production, best known for his work in delivering Netflix's renowned action-shooter flick, "Extraction" and "Extraction 2."
It was also reported that "Sunny" (2024) and Marvel's "Hit Monkey" (2021) writer, Ken Kobayashi, will also work on the movie adaptation's screenplay, working with the esteemed director for the SEGA ninja-based movie. Further speculations from ComicBook Gaming claimed that if "Shinobi" finds success in this movie adaptation, a possible new game from the franchise may also follow.
Adaptations on SEGA's Franchises
SEGA is one of the most iconic game development companies in the world, and it has stood the test of time for its renowned titles and franchises, from arcades to console video games, and now to movies. One of the most iconic movie adaptations based on SEGA's franchises is "Sonic the Hedgehog" which is now on its way to complete a trilogy with the latest flick coming this December.
Another of SEGA's most iconic franchises, "Yakuza" otherwise known as "Like a Dragon," has seen its list of live-action adaptations in the past, with a Japanese film adaptation of the game that was released over 14 years ago. However, it is known that Amazon Prime Video is now heading another live-action adaptation of the game, but this time, they are adopting the series format for it.
A previous adaptation of SEGA's iconic horror shooter franchise in the arcade, "House of the Dead," also saw two movie adaptations based on the company's proprietary titles but did not see much success at the box office. That being said, another arcade game from over 40 years ago is making a modern comeback as a movie, with SEGA handing off "Shinobi" to Universal and Hargrave for its upcoming silver screen showcase.
