Machinima Announces Development Deal with New Line Cinema’s "Mortal Kombat" Screenwriter Greg Russo

Machinima, a division of Warner Bros. Digital Networks and the premiere provider of digital gamer entertainment, announced a development deal with Greg Russo, the screenwriter of two highly anticipated feature films based on iconic videogame franchises: the forthcoming “Mortal Kombat” from New Line Cinema and Screen Gems’ “Resident Evil.”

Russo’s initial project for Machinima will be a live-action adaptation based on Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment’s survival horror game “F.E.A.R.” (aka First Encounter Assault Recon) for online distribution. The deal was announced by Machinima General Manager Russell Arons as part of the company’s ongoing commitment to working with elite talent to deliver premium content through Machinima Studios, the company’s development unit. Under the pact, Russo will work closely with the Machinima Studios team to create and develop original premium programming for outside buyers.

“Greg is an inspired screenwriter who clearly loves gaming,” said Arons. “To be able to bring his talents to Machinima Studios provides us an amazing opportunity to tackle action-packed series that are certain to appeal to our legions of millennial gamers and fans around the world.”

”As I lifelong gamer, it’s an absolute honor to partner with Machinima, the preeminent provider of digital content to gamers worldwide,“ said Russo. ”F.E.A.R. holds a special place in my heart. I’m excited to bring my personal passion to this and future projects and can’t wait to see where our partnership goes from here.“

Machinima Studios, develops and produces long-form live action and animated series based on iconic gaming IP for traditional and premium digital platforms. ”F.E.A.R.“ joins a legacy of ground-breaking gaming content from Machinima, including ”Mortal Kombat: Legacy“ and “Mortal Kombat: Legacy 2,” “Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist” and “Street Fighter: Resurrection” and “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn,” which have been seen by over 300 million fans to date.

Greg Russo is represented by Verve, Madhouse and Mckuin/Frankel

About F.E.A.R.
F.E.A.R. First Encounter Assault Recon is a horror first-person shooter videogame franchise established in 2005 and originally developed by Monolith Productions, a wholly owned Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment studio.  The series’ story centers around its main antagonist Alma Wade, a powerful psychic girl who has been locked within Armacham Technology Corporation (ATC) where she becomes an unwilling participant in a series of nefarious experiments. Throughout the series, Alma is showcased as a supernatural threat that must be destroyed by any means necessary. 

About Machinima
Machinima is the premier provider of digital content at the intersection of gamer entertainment and culture. Supercharged by parent company Warner Bros., we empower talent and fuel fan engagement across multiple platforms. We create entertainment content for a community passionate about video games, animation, and endless forms of pop culture. With a focus on scripted, topical and gamer programming, and a talent network of thousands of influencers, Machinima reaches over 58M US-based viewers each month.

The company’s Machinima Studios divisions develops and produces long-form live action and animation based on iconic gaming IP for traditional and premium digital platforms.

Machinima is a division of Warner Bros. Digital Networks.

About Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Inc., is a premier worldwide publisher, developer, licensor and distributor of entertainment content for the interactive space across all platforms, including console, handheld, mobile and PC-based gaming for both internal and third party game titles.

F.E.A.R.  and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. WB GAMES LOGO, WB SHIELD: ™ & © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

About Warner Bros. Digital Networks
Founded in 2016, Warner Bros. Digital Networks is the fast-paced, growing team responsible for building and operating the Studio’s digital entertainment offerings, producing digital native content and harnessing the power of social media through Machinima.  WBDN’s current direct-to-consumer-centric portfolio includes Boomerang (a partnership with Turner), DramaFever, FilmStruck (a partnership with Turner), Machinima, Stage 13, Uninterrupted (a partnership with LeBron James), Ellen Digital Ventures (a partnership with Ellen DeGeneres) and a DC-branded digital service debuting in 2018. Warner Bros. Digital Networks’ premium programming and digital offerings put fans