Universal Transforms Sega’s ‘Shinobi’ into a…

By August Tales

Universal Pictures has taken Sega further up the Hollywood rungs. It will soon bring the much-loved video game Shinobi to the silver screen. Should the fans brace themselves to see the iconic ninja leap from the console to the life-size cinema screen? The answer, fortunately, is yes.

New Era in Gaming Adaptations

At the helm of this project is Sam Hargrave. He’s no stranger in Tinseltown, famously directing Netflix’s Extraction. Hargrave will handle the action-packed Shinobi movie rather confidently, judging from his success record with Extract—Netflix’s top viewed flick. With over 99 million views in four weeks, the film broke some industry records. Besides, the maestro’s involvement in future endeavors like Matchbox for Mattel Films and Skydance, and Kill Them All for Paramount Pictures, indicates he’s well in the game.

For scripting this live-action feature, we have Ken Kobayashi. Recognizing him from Sunny and Marvel’s Monkey Hit? You should. He’s setting his sights on bringing this 1987 arcade classic to life. His past works garnered significant audience accolades. Movie buffs will also be glad to note his screenplay Move On, which led the 2019 Black List, is brewing at Columbia Pictures.

An Immortal Ninja’s Tale

The Shinobi video games chronicle the adventures of Joe Musashi, our ninja hero combating malevolent forces. With an extensive gaming legacy that spans 14 titles and 5 million copies sold worldwide, this franchise has established a dedicated base of fans. The announcement of a new Shinobi installment in 2023 breathed fresh life into this enduring ninja saga. It’s safe to say, the analogy won’t be short of gripping storylines.

The Power Behind Productions

The film will roll out under the stewardship of Marc Platt and Adam Siegel. They are producing it via the Marc Platt Productions. Partnering up with them is Dmitri M. Johnson from Story Kitchen, along with Toru Nakahara from SEGA. The project will also benefit from the contribution of executive producers Mike Goldberg and Timothy I. Stevenson. Their combined professional prowess forecasts a promising future for this impending Sega motion picture.

Universal’s deftness in video game adaptations is nothing new. Films like The Super Mario Bros. and Five Nights at Freddy’s earned the studio whopping worldwide revenues of $1.4 billion and $290 million. And now, with Shinobi, Universal is all set to dominate the next gaming arcade’s cinematic chapter.

So, sit tight, fair readers, for a new era where video games invade our popcorn-studded movie halls. With legendary classics like Shinobi morphing to the big screen, one can only expect a gaming revolution in the reel world.