Lionsgate is still moving forward with its film adaptation of Streets of Rage, the classic beat-em-up brawler released by Sega in the early ’90s, but Variety reports that a new creative team has taken charge of the movie.
Streets of Rage Movie
The studio has tapped Jeymes Samuel (The Harder They Fall) to direct from a script by Pat Casey and Josh Miller, the writers behind the Sonic the Hedgehog movie franchise.
When the project was first announced, it was being written by John Wick creator Derek Kolstad. He wrote the earlier draft and is still involved as a producer. Plot details are being kept under wraps at this time, but the project is being described as leaning “heavily into the cult classic game known for its iconic characters, acclaimed electronic soundtracks and beat ’em up action.”
In a statement, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group president Eric Westerman said, “We and our partners at SEGA knew that Streets of Rage demanded a bold filmmaker. 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. We are so excited for how he will bring his own memorable take to this beloved video game IP.“
The Streets of Rage video game franchise was one of the most popular series of the ’90s and was a top-selling title. After a nearly 25-year hiatus, a fourth installment of the franchise was released in 2020.
Jeymes Samuel
Samuel made his feature directorial debut with The Harder They Fall, a Western starring Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, Zazie Beetz, Regina King, Delroy Lindo, and Lakeith Stanfield. Our own Matt Rooney enjoyed the film, but found it fell a little short. “In trying to bring an all-black cast to a tired genre with a history defined by stars like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood, Samuel succeeds in crafting an entertaining western with the right amount of style, energy, and blood to give it its own identity,” he wrote. “It’s everything outside of that, such as character development and story, that stop it from being a real tour-de-force that has something to say to go along with all that flair.” You can check out the rest of his review right here.
He also directed The Book of Clarence, a biblical comedy which follows a down-on-his-luck man in A.D. 33 Jerusalem who wants to capitalize on the rise of Jesus Christ by claiming to be a new Messiah sent by God.
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