(Tokyo) Japanese Sega announced on Wednesday a film adaptation of its famous video game series Shinobi in collaboration with Universal Pictures, already behind the hit film Super Mario Bros..
First released in 1987 in arcades, the game Shinobifeaturing a modern-day ninja making his way with shuriken (traditional throwing weapon) through levels filled with enemies, has seen numerous adaptations and sequels on computers and consoles.
A new video game in the series was announced at the end of 2023.
Regarding the film, “the development of a cinematographic production on games Shinobi has begun,” Sega wrote in a statement, without specifying a release schedule.
The feature film will be directed by Sam Hargrave (films Extraction on Netflix) and produced in particular by Marc Platt (La La Land, Babylon) for the company Universal Pictures, which “expects the film to follow the success” of Super Mario Bros.according to the Sega press release.
Nintendo’s adventures of the mustachioed plumber on the big screen ranked second at the global box office in 2023.
Sega itself had already adapted the adventures of its star blue hedgehog into the cinema in Sonic the Movieand the series Like a Dragon: Yakuzainspired by its video games set in the world of the Japanese mafia, must be broadcast on Amazon Prime Video from October 24.
Video games have been on the rise in cinemas in recent years: after its 2023 hit, Nintendo is working on a new film Super Mario Bros. for 2026 and is also working on a theatrical adaptation of its franchise Zelda.
For its part, the American video game publisher Electronic Arts confirmed last month that it wanted to carry The Sims on the big screen.
Several series adapted from video games have also met with great success recently, such as The Last of Us And Falloutand an adaptation of tomb Raider is also in preparation.