Writers, director attached to Streets of Rage

Lionsgate has attached Pat Casey and Josh Miller to write and Jeymes Samuel to direct its film adaptation of Sega’s “Streets of Rage,” according to trade reports published on June 1. Variety and The Hollywood Reporter reported the staffing change after social posts about the project circulated on May 31. The reports said the movie remains in development at Lionsgate, with no release date or production timetable announced. The project dates back to Lionsgate’s 2022 acquisition of the rights to adapt the Sega game with Derek Kolstad writing. ### Who is now making the movie? Variety reported on June 1 that Casey and Miller, the writing duo behind Paramount’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” films, are now scripting “Streets of Rage,” while Samuel, who wrote and directed “The Harder They Fall” and “The Book of Clarence,” is set to direct. The report said the pair joined after Kolstad, the “John Wick” creator previously attached as writer, exited script duties after delivering an earlier draft. (variety.com) Lionsgate film chief Erin Westerman told Variety that “Streets of Rage” required “a bold filmmaker,” and said Samuel’s style and use of music made him the right fit for the adaptation. The trades said Kolstad remains among the producers even as Casey and Miller take over the screenplay. ### How does this change the version announced in 2022? Lionsgate announced in November 2022 that it had acquired the feature adaptation of “Streets of Rage” with Kolstad writing and producing. (variety.com) Deadline and Variety reported at the time that Sega’s Toru Nakahara, dj2 Entertainment — now Story Kitchen — and Escape Artists were producing. The June 1 reports indicate the project is still at Lionsgate but with a revised creative team. (variety.com) Variety said Story Kitchen, formerly dj2 Entertainment, remains involved, alongside Nakahara and producers from Escape Artists. ### What is Lionsgate adapting from Sega? Sega’s “Streets of Rage” began as a side-scrolling beat ’em up series in the early 1990s. Variety’s June 1 report described the film as leaning heavily into the game’s characters, electronic music and hand-to-hand action, while the 2022 Variety report summarized the games as centering on ex-cops fighting a crime syndicate. (deadline.com) (variety.com) Variety also reported that “Streets of Rage 4,” released in 2020, sold more than 2.5 million copies within its first year. That recent sales figure helps explain why Lionsgate and Sega have kept the adaptation active several years after the original rights deal. ### Why are Casey and Miller notable hires here? Casey and Miller are closely associated with Sega adaptations already. (variety.com) Variety said the pair are the writers behind Paramount’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” film trilogy, which it reported has grossed more than $1 billion worldwide to date. Deadline previously reported that Casey and Miller also wrote “Violent Night,” another action title that helped establish them beyond “Sonic.” Their hiring places “Streets of Rage” with writers who already have a track record on game-based studio films and action-comedy material. (variety.com) ### What has not been announced yet? June 1 trade reports did not include a release date, cast list or start-of-production date for “Streets of Rage.” The reports also did not identify a filming location or say when Casey and Miller’s script would be delivered. (variety.com) The next concrete update is likely to come from Lionsgate or one of the major trade publications covering the project. (deadline.com) As of June 1, the named participants attached were Casey, Miller, Samuel, Sega’s Toru Nakahara, Story Kitchen, Escape Artists and producer Kolstad. (variety.com)