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A film based on SNK's long-running franchise Samurai Spirits/Samurai Shodown is currently in pre-production. The project is being touted by new studio "The Arena", helmed by former Lionsgate and Sony Pictures executive Erik Feig.
As noted by The Hollywood Reporter, the Samurai Shodown project is the latest in a slate of productions based on SNK's legacy of fighting games. Previously, The Arena announced pictures based on '90s franchises Art of Fighting and Fatal Fury - the latter already bagging writer David S. Goyer (The Dark Knight), and confidently planning spin-off Geese, telling the origin story of SNK's most notable villain, Geese Howard.
The Samurai Shodown movie will be penned by Laeta Kalogridis, showrunner for Netflix' Altered Carbon and co-writer of Terminator: Genisys for Paramount and Alita: Battle Angel for 20th Century Studios.
Originally released in 1993, Samurai Spirits (known in western territories as Samurai Shodown) takes the one-on-one aspects of its contemporaries, such as Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat, but focuses the action on higher-damage, single-hit strikes. While the series does offer the command moves, specials, and supers of other fighting titles, Samurai Spirits greatly rewards players who pick their moments - with counterattacks and punishes affording incredible damage to the opponent's lifebar.
The series' most recent entry, 2019's Samurai Shodown, didn't exactly set cash registers alight, but is a solid fighter respected for its unique style and deep defensive play. Some of its characters have since made their appearance in SNK's King of Fighters series, with veteran samurai Haohmaru, kunoichi Nakoruru, and ship-building newcomer Darli Dagger joining the crossover fighter as "Team Samurai"
No doubt The Arena is hoping that its SNK features will cut a slice of the pie baked by other gaming franchises - specifically those in the fighting genre, such as Warner Bros. Mortal Kombat and Paramount Pictures' Street Fighter. It's a helluva gamble, given SNK's smaller footprint in the mainstream market, but Samurai Spirits' feudal setting could at least lend some gorgeous style and atmosphere to the film.
Regardless, we have plenty of time to sharpen our blades, as the project is still in pre-production and likely won't see a set for at least a year. Or two years. Or - given the current state of the entertainment industry - at all.