As exemplified by the box office success of Uncharted earlier this year, Sony Pictures is serious about translating some of PlayStation’s top titles into live-action. Now, via Deadline, there’s movement on the feature film adaptation of Ghost of Tsushima, the hit video game that debuted on PlayStation 4 in 2020. Screenwriter Takashi Doscher has signed on to write the film for director Chad Stahelski.
Ghost of Tsushima is set in 1274 during a Mongol invasion led by Khotun Khan. The player-controlled character is Jin Sakai, a samurai warrior who narrowly survives a harrowing ordeal as the island of Tsushima falls. As the last survivor of his clan, Jin assembles allies and embarks on a guerrilla warfare campaign in order to liberate his home from the invaders. The game was developed by Sucker Punch Productions, and it has been wildly successful on both PS4 and PS5. Over 8 million copies have been sold to date.
Doscher’s previous credits include Still and the sci-fi romance, Only, as well as an ESPN documentary, A Fighting Chance. He also wrote the screenplay for Blue, an AGBO-produced film for MGM that is described as “a twist on a Japanese monster movie.” Stahelski has directed all of the John Wick films to date, including the upcoming John Wick: Chapter 4.
While Ghost of Tsushima is the second film in development for Sony Pictures and PlayStation Productions’ partnership, it’s far from the only live-action PlayStation adaptation in the works. HBO ordered a series based upon The Last of Us, which is currently in production. Peacock has also ordered a live-action series based on Sony’s Twisted Metal games, with Anthony Mackie cast in a leading role.
