Machinima, which has created digital series adaptations of popular franchises like Transformers, Happy Wheels, and Night Rider, has inked a development deal with buzzy screenwriter Greg Russo — who is best known for penning New Line Cinema’s new Mortal Kombat feature as well as Screen Gem’s forthcoming Resident Evil reboot.
Given his expertise in adapting games for the big screen, Russo’s first project at Machinima will be a live-action series adaptation of the 13-year-old survival horror game F.E.A.R. — which is published by Warner Bros’ Interactive Entertainment division. (Warner Bros. also owns Machinima, which is housed within its Warner Bros. Digital Networks division alongside DramaFever and Ellen Digital Ventures). F.E.A.R., which stands for First Encounter Assault Recon, centers around an antagonist named Alma Wade — a young psychic girl who has become an unwilling participant in a series of experiments and who must be destroyed by players at any cost.
Russo will also work with Machinima team to create other original series for outside distributors. The F.E.A.R. adaptation will air digitally, Machinima said. Past Machinima projects have premiered on YouTube as well as Verizon‘s Go90.
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“As a lifelong gamer, it’s an absolute honor to partner with Machinima, the preeminent provider of digital content to gamers worldwide,” Russo said in a statement. “F.E.A.R. holds a special place in my heart. I’m excited to bring my personal passion to this and future projects, and can’t wait to see where our partnership goes from here.”
Machinima’s Studios division (the company also operates a creator network comprising thousands of influencers) has developed several other long-form live action and animated series based on iconic games, including Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter series, as well as Halo 4: Forward Unto. All told, its shows have been watched by over 300 million viewers to date.
