Netflix and Sega are expanding their partnership with three new adaptations based on major Sega properties, including Crazy Taxi, Sonic the Hedgehog and Stranger Than Heaven.
The projects cover three very different audiences. Crazy Taxi is being developed as a movie, Sonic is getting a new animated series aimed at younger children, and Stranger Than Heaven is being adapted into a live action film.
None of the projects currently has a confirmed release date, suggesting that all three remain in relatively early stages of development.
| Project | Format | Audience or style | Current status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crazy Taxi | Movie | Comedy based on the arcade game | In development |
| Sonic the Hedgehog | Animated series | Upper preschool audience | In development |
| Stranger Than Heaven | Live action film | Mature crime drama | In development |
Crazy Taxi will keep the game's comedic tone
Crazy Taxi is likely to attract the most attention because Sega's arcade game has a very recognizable concept.
Released in arcades in 1999, the original game placed you behind the wheel of a taxi and asked you to collect passengers before racing through busy streets to reach destinations as quickly as possible.
The movie is expected to preserve the comedic spirit of the game, although its exact story has not yet been revealed.
Dan Gregor and Doug Mand are writing the adaptation. The pair previously worked on the 2025 film The Naked Gun.
The production team also includes Neal H. Moritz, Toby Ascher and Toru Nakahara.
The main challenge will be turning a relatively simple arcade gameplay loop into a full movie narrative. Sega and Netflix have not yet explained whether the film will use characters from the games or create a new story around the basic Crazy Taxi concept.
Sonic is getting another animated series
Sonic the Hedgehog will also receive a new animated show, but this project is targeting a much younger audience.
The series is being developed for upper preschool children and will feature Sonic and other familiar characters on a new adventure.
Carlos Stevens and Toru Nakahara are attached to the project.
Sonic has already become one of Sega's most successful properties outside gaming. The character has appeared in several movies and animated productions, giving Netflix and Sega an established audience to work with.
The new show appears to be designed as a separate children's project rather than a continuation of the existing Sonic film series.
Stranger Than Heaven is heading to live action
The third adaptation is based on Stranger Than Heaven, an upcoming game from RGG Studio.
Netflix describes the story as following a foreigner who rises from poverty and obscurity to become a feared yakuza figure and entertainment tycoon.
That premise suggests a considerably more mature production than the Crazy Taxi and Sonic projects.
The adaptation will be a live action movie, with Toru Nakahara serving as a producer.
Further details about its cast, director and production schedule have not been announced.
The three projects show how broadly Sega and Netflix are approaching their collaboration. Rather than focusing on one type of adaptation, the partnership is covering comedy, children's animation and mature crime drama.
Video game adaptations have also become more common as studios look for established properties with existing audiences. Sega already has considerable experience in this area through Sonic, while Netflix has continued investing in adaptations based on major game franchises.
With no release dates confirmed, the next major updates will likely concern casting, directors and production timelines as development progresses.
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