Netflix and Sega Expand Partnership with 'Crazy Taxi' Movie, 'Stranger Than Heaven' Film, and New Sonic Series

Netflix and Sega have announced a new partnership to create more film and television adaptations of video games, according to reporting by Engadget. The first project in development is a movie based on the Crazy Taxi series, which Engadget notes is "well known for its gripping narrative" — a likely tongue-in-cheek reference to the arcade-style driving game. The script is being written by Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, who wrote last year's reboot of The Naked Gun. The film appears to be a live-action comedy and is expected to arrive after the next game in the series, Crazy Taxi World Tour, which is set for release next year.

Also in the works is a live-action crime film based on Stranger Than Heaven, the next title from RGG Studio, the developer behind the Yakuza and Like A Dragon series. That action-adventure game is scheduled to launch on PC and consoles on January 15. Netflix is also set to host another Sonic animated series, following Sonic Prime. The new show is aimed at preschoolers. In a press release cited by Engadget, Netflix described it as "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 fulfillment."

These projects are part of a larger slate of game adaptations at Netflix. Engadget reports that the company has a live-action Assassin's Creed series set in ancient Rome and a reality cooking competition based on Overcooked in the works. Additionally, at BlizzCon over the weekend, Blizzard revealed an animated series based on Diablo is coming to Netflix and hinted that adaptations of other franchises are in development. A second season of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is also slated to arrive on Netflix next month.

The announcement underscores Netflix's continued investment in video game IP, though specific release dates for the newly announced projects have not been provided. The partnership with Sega signals a deepening relationship between the streaming service and the game publisher, with multiple adaptations spanning different genres and audiences.