If you thought 2020 can’t possibly get any worse, I’m here to tell you that SEGA is developing a live-action Yakuza movie. In an exclusive from Variety, it was revealed that SEGA has teamed up with 1212 Entertainment and Wild Sheep Content to absolutely ruin the greatest video game franchise of all time. I’m not bitter, you are.
To be fair, I shouldn’t be quick to judge, as a live-action Yakuza movie could end up being great. After all, everyone thought that the Sonic movie would be terrible, and that did pretty well. So, despite how I sound, I’ll wait to judge this one until after I see the movie.
As to when that will be is a mystery. No writers have been hired yet, but Yakuza will be produced by Erik Barmack, Roberto Grande, and Joshua Long. If you’ve played the Yakuza series, you’ll know that the story is complete madness, and I don’t envy whatever writers get hired. If you haven’t played it, go do so, I’m not telling you about it here.
1212 Entertainment did address the plot, and franchise in general. They had this to say:
Yakuza offers us a new playground in which to set compelling stories with complex characters in a unique environment that audiences have rarely seen before. The Saga of Kazuma Kiryu has a built-in cinematic appeal – a mix of kinetic action with burst of comedy, multiple converging storylines, and a gripping journey towards redemption.”
Ok, maybe I am sold, just as long as they get the casting right. With the release date of Yakuza 7 edging ever closer, it’s quite the time to be a fan of the series. Just think back to 2011, and the series was dead in the west. How times change for the better.
Let me know your thoughts on the potential live-action Yakuza in the comments and be sure to let us know who you’d like to see star, and in what role. Make sure to pick well for Majima.