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Netflix has revealed three Sega gaming adaptations currently in production for its streaming service. The media giant's projects include a new Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon and live-action adaptations of the arcade smash hit Crazy Taxi and RGG Studio's upcoming adventure title Stranger Than Heaven.
As reported by Variety, the Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon is skewing a little younger than previous animated adventures, with an "upper pre-school" audience in mind. In perhaps one of the cheesiest, corporate-cool statements heard in some time, Netflix promises a show that will be a "high-voltage, comedic, yet emotionally grounded series built for kids who want to feel a little edge, a little attitude, and a lot of ‘that’s my crew’ wish fulfilment". Thanks, Lindsey Naegle.
The most recent animated endeavour from The Blue Blur was the well-received 2022 series Sonic Prime.
Crazy Taxi, written by Dan Gregor and Doug Man of the recent Naked Gun reboot, will no doubt be capitalising on the upcoming release of Sega's Crazy Taxi: World Tour - a game whose fun-loving visuals and energetic spirit were immediately undercut by the revelation that it utilises GenAI for its environments.
The Crazy Taxi concept is a snug fit for filmic adaptation. Indeed, Gérard Pirès' 1998 movie Taxi (remade in 2004 with Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon) focuses on a reckless cabbie blitzing through the streets of Paris while chasing a gang of criminals. The franchise would go on to sport no less than four sequels in its native France. Whether Netflix' take on fast-and-furious fares will have such cinematic staying power remains to be seen.
I'm sure the soundtrack will be awesome, at any rate.
Stranger Than Heaven is more of an odd case. It's always a little redundant when networks adapt Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio's works for animated or live-action fare, as the games themselves are usually highly cinematic and expertly dramatised, essentially operating as quality movies in and of themselves.
Regardless, producer Toru Nakahara (of the hugely successful Sonic the Hedgehog film series) is on board, and we should expect "a badass action drama" set on Japan's meanest of streets.
Sonic the Hedgehog, Crazy Taxi, and Stranger Than Heaven are all currently in production at Netflix.