The Streets of Rage film adaptation at Lionsgate has a new team in charge. Duo Pat Casey and Josh Miller have been brought in to write the screenplay. They’ve joined forces with Jeymes Samuel, who signs on to direct.
Casey and Miller replace Derek Kolstad, who wrote an earlier draft when the property was first picked up by Lionsgate in 2022. Kolstad is best known as the creator of the John Wick franchise. The fact that Kolstad is out doesn’t mean the project is on hold, however.
Casey and Miller have already co-written Sega and Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog trilogy. The Universal franchise Violent Night starring David Harbour. And a whole lot more. Those films have collectively grossed over $1 billion at the worldwide box office. The writers are to rely heavily on the video game itself. Drawing inspiration as they expand the film’s characters and plot.
Samuel brings his own intense visual style. His directing credits include The Harder They Fall and The Book of Clarence. He’s also a songwriter and composer who goes by the name The Bullitts. That makes him a perfect fit. Especially for a series that is known for electronic soundtracks.
Welcoming in the new hires
Lionsgate film chief Erin Westerman was emphatic in her welcome of the new hire. “We and our partners at Sega knew that Streets of Rage demanded a bold filmmaker,” Westerman said. “Jeymes Samuel’s visceral and explosive style — not to mention his signature use of unforgettable music — is perfect for audiences both familiar with and new to the series.”
As for the plot itself, it is still a mystery. But the movie is has a description that it is “heavily into the cult classic game known for its iconic characters, acclaimed electronic soundtracks and beat ’em up action.”
The game, which launched as a Sega Genesis title in 1991, became one of the decade’s defining Sega franchises for its cooperative gameplay and epic soundtrack by Yuzo Koshiro and Motohiro Kawashima. However, the series made a comeback in 2020 with Streets of Rage 4. A game which has sold more than 2.5 million copies and ushered a new generation of gamers into the fold.
Producing is Sega’s Toru Nakahara, Story Kitchen’s Dmitri M. Johnson, Michael Lawrence Goldberg, and Timothy I. Stevenson. Escape Artists’ Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Tony Shaw, and Kolstad. Casey and Miller are executive producing, with Elena Sandoval on as EP for Story Kitchen, and James Myers and Pavan Kalidindi on the Lionsgate side.
No release date has been announced. With this creative team in place, Streets of Rage is beginning to look pretty serious.
