Late last year, Binge announced that it would be producing a live-action series adaptation of the System Shock video game series. Now, the streaming platform has announced that Greg Russo will write and direct the upcoming live-action TV show, as well as serve as executive producer.
Russo was the screenwriter of 2021’s Mortal Kombat for New Line Cinema, which was a streaming hit for HBO Max, reportedly reaching 3.6 million households on its opening weekend. In addition to the Mortal Kombat reboot, Greg has adapted other game titles such as Space Invaders for New Line and Warner Bros. and Saints Row for director F. Gary Gray.
“I’m honored to have the opportunity to work alongside the fantastic team at Binge and Nightdive Studios to bring the iconic System Shock franchise to life,” said Russo in a provided statement. “I’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to make my directorial debut, and I finally found it.”
Along with his writing and directing duties, Russo will serve as an executive producer on the series alongside Binge producer Allan Ungar (Gridlocked, Tapped Out). Nightdive Studios' Stephen Kick and Larry Kuperman will serve as executive producers.
“Greg is a superbly talented screenwriter who possesses an unmatched knowledge and passion for gaming,” said Ungar. “His artistic approach to storytelling and his deep understanding of the source material will undoubtedly get fans excited about this new franchise. We’re thrilled to be bringing him on board and can’t wait to share his vision with audiences worldwide.”
System Shock is based on the first-person action-adventure game franchise that first launched in 1994. The original game sends players on a journey to a place known as Citadel Station in the year 2072, where an unnamed hacker wakes up from a coma and has to confront such enemies as robots, cyborgs, mutants, and above all, a diabolical AI named SHODAN that seeks to control Earth.
The Static Shock TV series will stream exclusively on Binge.com, next to other recently-announced live-action adaptations of classic games such as Hunt: Showdown (Crytek) and Driver (Ubisoft Film & Television). Binge will be available to stream for free when it launches sometime in 2022. No premiere date has yet been confirmed for the Static Shock series, so stay tuned to Collider for more on this title.