Netflix and Sega are making a live-action Crazy Taxi movie

Sega and Netflix have announced a partnership to adapt several video game franchises into film and television, starting with a live-action comedy based on the 1999 arcade driving game Crazy Taxi. The deal, announced on September 15, also includes a live-action crime film based on Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio's Stranger Than Heaven and a new preschool-targeted Sonic the Hedgehog animated series.

Stretching the arcade timer

The live-action Crazy Taxi film will be written by Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, the duo behind the 2025 reboot of The Naked Gun. Production is being handled by Original Film's Neal H. Moritz and Toby Ascher, alongside Sega's lead transmedia producer Toru Nakahara. Moritz and Ascher previously produced Paramount's highly successful Sonic the Hedgehog cinematic universe.

The original Crazy Taxi debuted in arcades in 1999 before becoming a defining title for the Sega Dreamcast in 2000. It tasked players with picking up passengers and delivering them to destinations as fast as possible, using reckless driving and near-misses to earn tips. The game is heavily associated with its licensed punk rock soundtrack and aggressive product placement. Nakahara noted the film will lean into this chaotic tone, describing it as a wild action comedy packed with jokes.

In a joint statement, Moritz and Ascher specifically referenced the Dreamcast era, noting they spent hours driving the yellow cab and running over obstacles to loud music. I am genuinely curious how you stretch a three-minute arcade timer into a two-hour narrative feature, but the talent involved has a proven track record with Sega properties. This film will arrive ahead of the franchise's upcoming video game revival, Crazy Taxi: World Tour, which is scheduled for a 2027 release.

The Yakuza connection

The partnership also includes a live-action adaptation of Stranger Than Heaven. Originally developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio as a distant prequel to the Like a Dragon universe, the story is set in early 20th-century Japan. It follows an outsider who rises from a penniless vagrant to a feared yakuza boss and entertainment mogul. Nakahara described the adaptation as featuring sharp action and intense drama.

Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has plenty of experience with live-action adaptations, as their flagship Like a Dragon series has been adapted multiple times for Japanese television and film. Stranger Than Heaven represents a historical pivot for the studio, moving away from modern Kamurocho to explore the foundational days of the yakuza in the early 1900s.

Sonic for preschoolers

For younger audiences, Carlos Stevens and Nakahara are developing a new Sonic the Hedgehog animated series. Unlike the recent Sonic Prime, this project is specifically targeted at preschool children. The show will focus on Sonic and his friends acting as heroes in a format designed to be thrilling and comical for early childhood viewers.

Sega COO Shuji Utsumi stated the company has deep respect for Netflix's creative process and is proud to bring these three specific titles to the platform. Netflix Vice President of Nonfiction and Transmedia Brandon Riegg noted that the selected games represent three different eras of Sega's history. He emphasized that the adaptations will rely on the established characters and high-engagement fandoms that already exist for these properties.

These three projects join an increasingly crowded slate of video game adaptations at Netflix. The streaming service is currently developing a live-action Assassin's Creed series, a Gears of War film, and animated shows based on Minecraft, Magic: The Gathering, and Clash of Clans. They also have returning seasons for Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, and Devil May Cry.

Pick up STRANGER THAN HEAVEN on Humble Bundle.

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