The “Sonic the Hedgehog” movies have become some of the most lucrative video game adaptations in Hollywood history, proving that SEGA characters can be major draws at the box office. And while the franchise is still going strong — Jim Carrey is coming out of retirement to reprise his role as Dr. Robotnik in the upcoming third film — gamers clamoring to see more non-hedgehog properties from the SEGA canon on the big screen are in for a treat. The iconic video game company is teaming up with Universal Pictures on a film adaptation of “Shinobi,” the ninja game that has delighted arcade goers for nearly four decades, IndieWire has learned.
The “Shinobi” film will be directed by Sam Hargraves, who is best known for directing “Extraction” and “Extraction 2” for Netflix. Ken Kobayashi (“Sunny,” “Hit-Monkey”) will write the script. No casting details or release date have been announced.
Per a press release, Marc Platt and Adam Siegel will produce “Shinobi” through Marc Platt Productions, Dmitri M. Johnson will produce through Story Kitchen, Toru Nakahara will produce through SEGA, and Mike Goldberg will executive produce alongside Timothy I. Stevenson, who is co-producing.
Universal has been on a hot streak with video game adaptations, enjoying massive box office hauls from both “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” and “Five Nights at Freddy’s” in 2023.
First released in 1987, the “Shinobi” series primarily follows ninja Joe Musashi, who frequently battles a Japanese crime syndicate known as Zeed. The hack-and-slash games are known for their melee-style combat, which often involves the use of throwing stars and other traditional ninja weapons interspersed between copious somersaults.
The original “Shinobi” game has spawned 13 sequels and spin-offs, the most recent of which is 2011’s “Shinobi 3D.” But the iconic franchise appears to be a major pillar of SEGA’s future plans, as the company announced plans to reboot the franchise with a new untitled game in late 2023.
