Netflix is developing game adaptations faster than a certain blue hedgehog can eat a chili Dog.exe.
The streaming giant has just announced a new partnership with Sega to produce another animated series based on Sonic the Hedgehog, as well as films adapted from Crazy Taxi and Like a Dragon.
Reportedly, this multi-project partnership will first adapt Sega's classic arcade racing game series, Crazy Taxi, into a film. The series is set for a reboot, with the screenplay penned by Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, the writing duo behind last year's The Naked Gun reboot.
According to Variety, the producers behind the well-received live-action Sonic the Hedgehog films (Neal H. Moritz, Toby Ascher, and Sega's Tetsuhara) will also be involved in this film's production. However, it is currently unclear whether the film will be animated or live-action.
On the other hand, according to Sega, Netflix's Sonic animated series will be a "fast-paced, comedic, yet emotionally rich" animated adventure, crafted for "kids who want to feel a bit rebellious, show some personality, and live out their 'this is my crew' dreams." Therefore, we can expect to see many anthropomorphic members of the Sonic family. Tetsuhara and animation director Carlos Stevens will be involved in the production.
Finally, there are official plans to adapt Like a Dragon into a film. This crime-themed action game from RGG Studio won't be released until January 15 next year, but Sega has already launched its multimedia version ahead of schedule.
In an interview with Variety magazine, Tetsuhara stated, "Sonic will be cute and cool, Crazy Taxi will be wildly funny, and Like a Dragon will be an exciting action film, because we have some great ideas ready, and this is just the beginning."
Netflix has already acquired the rights to many well-known video games (Castlevania, Cyberpunk, Devil May Cry, League of Legends: Arcane, etc.) and plans to adapt more games into streaming hits (including Gears of War, Assassin's Creed, Crash Bandicoot, and—Persona, among others).