SEGA has tapped in the efforts of former executive of Break Media Evan Cholfin to adapt their famous game properties into potential films.
According to Variety, Cholfin has been made head of development and production at Stories International, a movie and TV entertainment production company started by both Sega and ad agency Hakuhodo DY Group in 2011. Having worked in development before, Cholfin’s resume includes having worked for David Fincher, Steven Zaillian and CAA.
Working closely with Stories International’s President and CEO Tomoya Suzuki, Cholfin will also be serving as the company’s U.S-based commercial and branded entertainment arm, connecting directors with Hakuhodo DY Group’s clients to create content for Asia and other markets.
In terms of what SEGA properties are being considered for film treatment by Stories International, they have decided to begin their work with ‘Altered Beast’, ‘Rise of Nightmares’, ‘Streets of Rage’, ‘Shinobi’, and ‘Crazy Taxi’. ‘Virtua Fighter’ and ‘Golden Axe’ are included as potential possibilities. As far as the projects themselves, they are planned to be English-language live-action and animated spinoffs of their respective properties.
Cholfin’s hire into Stories international is a part of SEGA’s initiative to expand the company arm in order to shift its focus into filmmaking. To further this, a recent deal with All Nippon Entertainment Works will also help Stories International gain full access to 20 Japanese rights holders who own properties across a variety of entertainment mediums.
“With his impeccable taste and experience developing and producing entertainment in nearly every format imaginable, Evan is the unique executive to revitalize and canonize our partners’ brands by working with Hollywood to create stories that will last for centuries,” Suzuki said.
SEGA is definitely not alone when it comes to videogame companies focusing their efforts into creating in-house film divisions to produce film adaptations based on their properties. After all, Ubisoft pulled off a similar move in order to adapt their ‘Assassin’s Creed’, ‘Watch Dogs’ and ‘Splinter Cell’ properties on to the silver screen.
How do you feel about films adaptations of famous SEGA properties? Would you be interested in watching them? Which ones do you wish they would make but haven’t mentioned? Feel free to comment below!
