Sega and Netflix announce partnership to develop Crazy Taxi, Sonic, and Stranger Than Heaven adaptations

Sega and Netflix have teamed up to adapt three of their popular video game franchises into new adaptations. The partnership includes Crazy Taxi, Sonic, and Stranger Than Heaven. Crazy Taxi will debut as a film adaptation, written by Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, creators of The Naked Gun reboot. Sonic's producers, Neal H. Moritz, Toby Ascher, and Toru Nakahara, will serve as producers for the Sonic adaptations.

Stranger Than Heaven will also be transformed into a live-action crime film, under Nakahara's direction. The Sonic franchise will launch a new animated series aimed at upper preschool audiences, joining Netflix's existing Sonic Prime series. According to Sega president and COO Shuji Utsumi, the partnership reflects Sega's pride in working with Netflix's dedication to crafting unique content.

Netflix VP of nonfiction and transmedia, Brandon Riegg, highlighted their collaboration across different eras of Sega's catalog, celebrating the beloved titles while attracting new audiences. Sega's adaptations will join Netflix's growing library of game-based adaptations, which includes Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Devil May Cry, an Assassin's Creed live-action series, and Gears of War film adaptations.

Other Netflix series are based on Minecraft, Magic: The Gathering, Clash of Clans, Overcooked, and more. Rockstar recently released an exclusive 30-minute gameplay preview of Grand Theft Auto 6 on Netflix, reaching 31.1 million views in four days and generating over 100,000 sign-ups.