Movies
‘Streets of Rage’ Film Adaptation Picked Up by Lionsgate
Earlier in the year, it was announced that Sega was looking to get a film adaptation made based on their classic beat-’em-up series Streets of Rage (or Bare Knuckle, if you’re nerdy). Today, Lionsgate has announced that they’ve acquired the rights for the film, which is being written and produced by Derek Kolstad (John Wick, Nobody).
Per IGN, in addition to Lionsgate’s involvement, Sega’s Toru Nakahara and dj2 Entertainment’s Dmitri M. Johnson, Timothy I. Stevenson and Dan Jevons will produce the Streets of Rage film alongside Kolstad. Nakahara is no stranger to producing adaptations of Sega’s franchises, having produced the first two Sonic the Hedgehog movies. He’ll also be overseeing the project for Sega, alongside Shuji Utsumi.
Kolstad stated that working on the film fulfils a childhood dream. “When Dmitri first mentioned the idea of cracking a Streets of Rage movie, I was so immediately freaking in. And to play with Sega? The 10-year-old me is still grinning.”
Johnson, who also co-produced the Sonic the Hedgehog films (as well as currently pegged to produce upcoming adaptations of Life Is Strange and Disco Elysium for Amazon), shares Kolstad’s love for the franchise. “I’ve wanted to make a Streets of Rage film since I was 12 years old,” he added. “This has shaped up to become a ‘dream project’ alongside a ‘dream team.’”
Meanwhile, Lionsgate is currently working on Eli Roth‘s upcoming adaptation of Gearbox Entertainment’s Borderlands, which most recently had footage released at CinemaCon earlier this year.
Sunrise Films has announced the official North American release of William Bagley‘s horror comedy Hold the Fort, and it’s accompanied by an energetic new trailer.
Hold the Fort debuts on digital platforms on June 23.
In the film, “Lucas and Jenny think their life is finally coming together when the couple become homeowners. Little do they know that their new house comes with a big catch. Lucas and Jenny soon find themselves in a fight for their lives when they become trapped in a battle between their Homeowners Association and an onslaught of monsters from hell. The horror-comedy takes the timely concern of home-ownership and wraps this up in an entertaining action-packed thrill ride.“
Watch the new trailer below, which introduces one wild HOA gathering during an equinox. Things get bloody fast.
Chris Mayers (Adult Swim Yule Log), Haley Leary (“The Walking Dead”), Levi Burdick, and Julian Smith star.
William Bagley writes and directs, in addition to producing with Smith, Matt Dodd, Luke Williams, and Tim Reis (Adult Swim Yule Log).
Ahead of the release, Bagley said, “My goal with this film was to make a hilarious, fast-paced thrill ride while also telling a great story with heart. Hopefully, through all the blood, laughs, fights, and gags, you leave the film feeling inspired to tackle whatever life throws at you.“
Hold the Fort premiered at Fantasia last summer before going on to play FrightFest London, Toronto After Dark, and Beyond Fest.
I wrote in my review, “It’s an infectiously charming assemblage of jokes and monster vignettes bound together by a barebones plot with not much on its mind beyond delivering an entertaining time.”
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