Sydney Sweeney, renowned for her role in "Madame Web," is set to star in the upcoming film adaptation of Hazelight's critically acclaimed game, "Split Fiction." This project is being spearheaded by Story Kitchen, the powerhouse behind the successful Sonic movie franchise, which is now actively assembling a top-tier team for this venture.
According to Variety, the film has gained significant momentum with "Wicked" director Jon M. Chu at the helm and the script penned by the talented duo behind "Deadpool & Wolverine," Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. Story Kitchen is currently shopping this impressive talent package to major Hollywood studios, anticipating a fierce bidding war.
One intriguing aspect of Sweeney's involvement is the role she will play. She is set to portray one of the two sisters, Zoe or Mio, though the final decision remains pending.
Sydney Sweeney is set to star in the Split Fiction movie. Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for CinemaCon.
"Split Fiction," which only launched in March, has already become a blockbuster success for Hazelight and its designer Josef Fares, selling over 2 million copies in its first week. The game is also slated to be a launch title for the Nintendo Switch 2. IGN's review of the game praised it, awarding a 9/10 score and describing it as "an expertly crafted co-op adventure that pinballs from one genre extreme to another, Split Fiction is a rollercoaster of constantly refreshed gameplay ideas and styles – and one that’s very hard to walk away from."
In addition to "Split Fiction," Hazelight's other hit game, "It Takes Two," which sold 23 million copies, is also being adapted into a film, with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson potentially starring.
While there's always a risk that these adaptations may not come to fruition, the current surge in successful video game movies suggests Hollywood is eager to capitalize on this trend.
Last year, Story Kitchen announced several other projects, including a film adaptation of Square Enix's "Just Cause," directed by Ángel Manuel Soto of "Blue Beetle" fame. They are also working on adaptations of "Dredge: The Movie," "Kingmakers," "Sleeping Dogs," and even a live-action Toys 'R' Us movie.
Meanwhile, Hazelight is not resting on its laurels and is already teasing its next exciting game project.
