We didn't know there was already a Sonic the Hedgehog movie either. It's okay, you've not missed out on anything - the small portion of the internet who saw 1999's straight-to-VHS offering don't have anything good to say about it. Which is why Sega is having another go at the movie business.
In addition to the new Sonic film announced earlier this year, Variety reports that the Japanese games company is dipping into its extensive portfolio in search of some box office success. Having hired former Break Media executive Evan Cholfin to oversee the adaptation of its titles, Sega is looking to create a number of live action and animated films with Tokyo-based Stories International - a joint venture between Sega and advertising group Hakuhodo DY Group.
Classic games that Stories is looking to tap into include Crazy Taxi (the manic 1999 arcade racer that saw you pick up citizens and drop them off in record time - so expect a slim script), Shinobi (ninjas defeating evil), Altered Beast (a beat-em-up that's exactly how it sounds) and perhaps most promisingly, Streets of Rage, Golden Axe and the gloriously blocky Virtua Fighter.
The move sees Sega looking to expand its business model, following in the footsteps of Electronic Arts (whose own adaptation of Need for Speed brought in a fair amount of cash worldwide) and Ubisoft (set to release film adaptations of Assassin's Creed, Splinter Cell and Watch Dogs). Here's hoping that one of the deluge of adaptations actually turns out to be half decent.
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