Fatal Fury, Metal Slug, and Samurai Shodown to be transformed into a media empire - films, series, and anime are on the way

The company The Arena will be responsible for bringing classic franchises from the Japanese studio SNK to the big and small screens.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the production label The Arena intends to launch an interconnected multimedia ecosystem based on SNK's arcade franchises, which will include films, series, anime, and manga.

The central project will be a feature film adaptation of the fighting game Fatal Fury. The script will be written by David S. Goyer, known for Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" trilogy and the series "Foundation." The plot will focus on brothers Terry and Andy Bogard, who seek revenge on South Town crime lord Geese Howard for the murder of their adoptive father.

Geese Howard himself will also get a separate prequel film titled Geese. Grant Singer will direct and write the crime backstory. According to the source, the creators are aiming for mafia dramas in the vein of "The Godfather" and "Joker."

In addition, Skybound Entertainment, known for "Invincible," is already working on the animated series Fatal Fury: The Vow. The project will tell the story of the young Bogard brothers' training years and will be released on YouTube to reach the widest possible audience.

Meanwhile, author Brandon Chen is preparing a webtoon based on the related Art of Fighting series – it is expected to be released before other projects.

The Arena also plans adaptations of other well-known SNK games, including the scroll-shooter Metal Slug and the samurai fighting game Samurai Shodown, but details about them are not yet available.

The Arena's plans look ambitious, but the label is backed by experience and serious resources. The company was founded by former Lionsgate Motion Picture Group executive Erik Feig, and the team also includes former Universal top manager Matt Reilly and former Crunchyroll marketing head Marcus Gerdesmann.

The Arena is supported by the Saudi MiSK Group and the MBC media holding. The company describes its approach as "muscular prestige" – unique adult projects that can meet the high expectations of the gaming community.