Legendary Pictures, the film company behind Man of Steel, Godzilla, and the long-gestating adaptation of BioWare’s Mass Effect, has picked up the rights to develop a film based on Capcom’s zombie smasher Dead Rising. However, rather than aiming for the silver screen, the project is the first to emerge from Legendary’s Digital Media division. The company is working with producers Tomas Harlan and Tim Carter of Contradiction Films, who were previously responsible Mortal Kombat: Legacy. Carter will also write the screenplay, although there is no word on a director just yet.
The film will initially be distributed via Sony’s Crackle streaming service in North America, while Content Media Corp. has snagged the international distribution rights. Content Media also released Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn and is distributing the much-anticipated Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist oh home video formats. Tom Lesinski, President of Content and Distribution at Legendary Digital Media, spoke highly of both companies, as well as the source material:
Dead Rising has a built-in fan base and rich characters and plotlines that are ideal for digital storytelling and on target for Legendary’s brand. Crackle and Content are adept at distributing cutting-edge digital content and we look forward to delivering a highly engaging and cool series for a global audience.
After its run on Crackle, the Dead Rising film will be released on DVD and become available to download through On Demand services.
[Source: Variety]
