According to a new report, Lollipop Chainsaw, a cult classic from the early 2010s, is getting a live-action adaptation that’ll work as a prequel to the game. The title, developed by legendary Japanese game designer Suda51 and James Gunn, is also getting a sequel next year as Grasshopper hopes to revive this old gem.
As Deadline writes, a live-action prequel to Lollipop Chainsaw is in development, primarily due to efforts to find a “new model” to globalize iconic Asian franchises. This film is going to be an “action comedy,” the outlet reports, rated R, and star the same iconic character as the game: Juliet Starling.
Robert Franke, one of the producers on the film, described it as a great way for newcomers to the series to experience it for the first time, if not to just “enjoy an unforgettable action-horror comedy.” On the other hand, he said the movie will ultimately stay “true to the spirit of Lollipop Chainsaw.”
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James Gunn, who worked on the original game alongside Suda51, will apparently not be returning to help out with the film. While his work is primarily focused on movies and television, Gunn nevertheless has his hands full, it seems, as he’s trying his hardest to save the DCU from certain doom and reclaim some of the audience it had lost after a series of lackluster, mediocre, and outright catastrophic films and shows.
In case you’ve never heard of it, Lollipop Chainsaw is a 2012 action game developed by Grasshopper Manufacture and legendary game designer Goichi Suda (known by his nickname Suda51). You play as Juliet Starling, a zombie hunter taking the undead head-on using her chainsaw in a Californian high school. It’s corny, it’s funny, it’s incredibly fun, and it has remained one of Suda51’s best games to date, both artistically and in terms of gameplay and, well, pure vibes.
