Convergence Gets Live-Action Film Rights to Gungrave

[Koby]

The Screen Daily and Variety entertainment trade news sources report that Convergence Entertainment has signed a deal for the live-action film rights to Gungrave, Red Entertainment's shooter videogame franchise co-created and designed by Trigun creator Yasuhiro Nightow. Gungrave already inspired a 2003-2004 television anime series by the Mad House anime studio. Convergence, a production company based in Beverly Hills and in Asia, intends to give the proposed film a budget of US$30 million to US$35 million with Asian investment partners. Convergence head Tim Kwok will produce with Red's Yasuaki Nagoshi (Diamond Daydreams, Sakura Wars) serving as executive producer.

Convergence also licensed the rights to the British game book franchise Lone Wolf (no relation to the Lone Wolf and Cub manga), and had previously licensed the live-action rights to the Wicked City horror novel/anime story, The King of Fighters fighting videogame franchise, and the Clocktower horror videogame franchise. The King of Fighters film with Sean Faris and Maggie Q is already in post-production, while Convergence is still "prepping" the Clocktower one. Both The King of Fighters film and the Clocktower film are tentatively slated for next year.