The upcoming live-action adaptation of the popular video gameTwisted Metalhas found its director in Kitao Sakurai, who previously worked onThe Eric Andre ShowandBad Trip.
Twisted Metalis a half-hour-long comedy based on the eponymous PlayStation video game series that stars Anthony Mackie and comes from Sony Pictures TV, PlayStation Studios, and Universal Television. The adaptation,which will stream on Peacock, hails fromCobra Kaiwriter Michael Jordan Smith, who will also serve as showrunner and executive producer.
RELATED:Twisted Metal Creator Refused Tencent’s $100 Million Offer
Deadline reports that in addition to directing multiple episodes of the highly-anticipated series, Sakurai is set to executive produce. Joining Mackie, Sakurai, and Smith in the role of producers are Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, as well asArrested Developmentalum Will Arnett and Marc Forman through their Electric Avenue production company. Other producers include Jason Spire of Inspire Entertainment, Peter Principato of Artists First, Asad Qizilbash and Carter Swan from PlayStation Productions, and Hermen Hulst, who is the Head of PlayStation Studios.
Based on an original idea by Reese and Wernick, the series follows John Doe (played by Mackie), a witty milkman who talks incessantly and has no recollection of his past. Doe is offered the opportunity of a lifetime when he agrees to deliver a mysterious package across a post-apocalyptic and dangerous wasteland. Aided by a belligerent car thief, Doe must fight off savage drivers with a thirst for blood and multiple other dangers on the open road —includingthe both iconic and terrifying Sweet Tooth, “a deranged clown who drives an all too familiar ice cream truck,” according to the official synopsis.
Besides directing and executive producingThe Eric Andre Showfor Adult Swim andBad Trip, Andre’s comedy film for Netflix, Sakurai’s previous work as a director includes two episodes of the FX comedy seriesDaveand one episode of BJ Novak’sThe Premise. He’s also set to direct the film72 Hoursfor Sony Pictures in collaboration with Davis Entertainment andCobra KaicreatorsJon Hurwitz, Hayden Schlossberg, and Josh Heald under their production company, Counterbalance Entertainment.
The first installment of theTwisted Metalvideo game series was first released for PlayStation more than 25 years ago, in 1995. Since then, the long-running franchise has spawned numerous sequels and spin-offs, with the most recent title being released in 2012. And the franchise machine won’t be slowing down anytime soon, as there arerumors of a possibleTwisted Metalreboot, although further details remain unclear.
