Sydney Sweeney to Star in Split-Fiction Movie Adaptation, Directed by Wicked's Jon M. Chu
Sydney Sweeney continues her streak of high-profile projects, as Variety has reported that she will star in the upcoming film adaptation of Hazelight Studios' Split-Fiction, directed by Wicked's Jon M. Chu. This marks Sweeney’s second recent involvement in adapting a video game to film, following her previously announced collaboration with Michael Bay on a movie based on SEGA’s Out Run.
While an adaptation of Split-Fiction had already been confirmed, the attachment of major talents like Sweeney and Chu signals that the project is picking up considerable momentum. Sweeney is slated to play one of the two lead characters—either Zoe or Mio—both named after Hazelight Studio head Josef Fares’ daughters. However, it remains undecided which role she will ultimately take on.
Unlike the challenge of adapting a minimalist arcade title like Out Run into a narrative-driven movie, Split-Fiction already offers a rich foundation of fantasy and sci-fi settings that are tailor-made for blockbuster filmmaking. The game's core elements—a vibrant narrative filled with emotional depth and cinematic set pieces—are well-suited to Jon M. Chu’s directorial style, which brought musical and visual grandeur to Wicked.
The key questions now revolve around who will be cast alongside Sweeney, how Chu will bring his theatrical flair to the unique fantasy-meets-sci-fi world of Split-Fiction, and whether the adaptation can elevate the game's narrative into something truly groundbreaking for video game movies.
As the video game adaptation renaissance continues, very few projects have managed to surpass the emotional storytelling of their source material. While adaptations like The Last of Us have been widely praised for their faithful executions, an adaptation that fully redefines or enhances the original storytelling remains elusive. Split-Fiction presents a promising opportunity to finally bridge that gap, given its already emotionally resonant and visually dynamic world.
If successful, this adaptation could become a benchmark for how video games are adapted into other mediums, not merely copying but building upon the source material's strengths.
What do you think about Sydney Sweeney starring in Split-Fiction? Could this adaptation finally surpass the game’s original story? Share your thoughts with us!
