After starring in the movie adaptations of two popular video game franchises, Jack Black reveals that he wants to appear in Yakuza next. Sega’s long-running series spans nine mainline games and a number of spin-off titles, with Yakuza later being adapted into a live-action series on Amazon Prime Video.
Jack Black is an actor and musician best known to many for his roles in School of Rock, Nacho Libre, and Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny. He later took his comedic talents to star in A Minecraft Movie as Steve and also voiced Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which both did exceptionally well at the box office. With The Super Mario Galaxy Movie premiering soon, Black is already thinking about the next video game adaptation he wants to work on.
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Jack Black Wants to Be in a Live-Action Yakuza Adaptation
In an interview with ScreenRant, Black was asked about the video game franchise he wants to be part of next. He revealed that he’s interested in being part of a live-action Yakuza adaptation, giving Sega a shoutout to give him the role of a “portly American” if it were possible at some point in the future. The six-episode Like a Dragon: Yakuza series premiered on Amazon Prime Video in 2024 to mixed reviews from viewers and critics alike. It’s still unknown if the series will get a second season in the future, but Black seems keen to be cast in it or a potential big-screen release.
So I’m going to throw my hat in that ring. I don’t know if there [are] any parts for me, like a portly American, but talk to me. Sega, give me a jingle.
Despite having heavy themes about Japan’s underworld and its various criminal activities, the Yakuza franchise also leans into lighthearted moments to showcase the depth of its characters’ personalities, especially with main protagonists like Kazuma Kiryu, Goro Majima, and Ichiban Kasuga. The games feature a host of characters in their substories, which would sometimes include foreigners visiting Japan. If Sega decides to take Black up on his offer in the next season of Like a Dragon: Yakuza, he might be a good fit in terms of adding a little bit of comedy to the story.
As previously mentioned, Black has starred in video game movie adaptations that became box office hits: A Minecraft Movie earned $961.2 million worldwide, while The Super Mario Bros. Movie made a whopping $1.36 billion. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie also has the potential to make bank once it premieres worldwide, which would further show people’s interest in well-made video game adaptations. Likewise, it also shows how Black is fortunate enough to be part of two successful franchises that did well in the movies. The Like a Dragon: Yakuza series may not have done that well upon release, but it still has a chance to make it big if done right.
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Balance the critic averages
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What’s Next in the Yakuza Franchise?
Developer Ryu Ga Gotoku (RGG) Studio and publisher Sega don’t have a new mainline Yakuza or Like a Dragon game coming up after 2025’s Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. Last February, Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, which is a combination of the Yakuza 3 remake and a spin-off that takes place in the third game, was released and received mixed reviews from players. RGG Studio and Sega’s next big project is Stranger Than Heaven, an upcoming action-adventure game that is said to be set in different time periods across five different cities in Japan, including Sotenbori (fictionalized Dohtonbori) and Kamurocho (fictionalized Kabukicho). Although Stranger Than Heaven isn’t part of the Yakuza universe, there are many similarities and connections that many fans might point out once it launches. At the same time, it’s also possible that RGG Studio might throw a curveball and reveal that its new game is, in fact, another Yakuza game in an alternate timeline.
Source: ScreenRant
