The Harder They Fall director joins the long-in-development adaptation alongside the writing team behind the billion-dollar Sonic the Hedgehog franchise.
Lionsgate’s adaptation of Sega’s classic beat ’em up franchise has found its director: Jeymes Samuel, the filmmaker behind the BAFTA-winning The Harder They Fall and The Book of Clarence, has signed on to helm the project.
Alongside Samuel, the studio has brought in Pat Casey and Josh Miller, the writers who built the Sonic the Hedgehog film trilogy into a billion-dollar franchise, to take over screenplay duties from Derek Kolstad, the John Wick creator who had penned an earlier draft after Lionsgate first acquired the rights in 2022.
The film is described as leaning heavily into what made the original games iconic: memorable characters, a legendary electronic soundtrack, and relentless beat ’em up action. Plot details remain under wraps.
Lionsgate film chief Erin Westerman spoke to the creative vision: “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.”
Samuel’s reputation for kinetic, music-driven filmmaking makes him a natural fit for a franchise whose electronic scores are widely regarded among the most influential in video game history. His two previous features each announced a bold directorial voice rooted in rhythm, spectacle, and style.
Originally launched on the Sega Genesis in 1991, Streets of Rage follows former police officers fighting a street-level war against a powerful crime syndicate. The franchise’s most recent entry, Streets of Rage 4, arrived in April 2020 and sold more than 2.5 million copies in its first year, charting in both the U.S. and U.K.
The film is produced by Sega, Story Kitchen (formerly dj2 Entertainment), and Escape Artists. Casey and Miller serve as executive producers. The deal was negotiated by Phil Strina for Lionsgate.