John Wick Creator Derek Kolstad Will Adapt New Slime Rancher Movie

Never underestimate the power of giving players sci-fi gadgets and telling them to wrangle up adorable critters. 

That's the logic behind one of the highest-rated Steam games ever made — "Slime Rancher." Since its official release in 2017, the game has sold more than 6 million copies across numerous platforms, gaining over 15 million players globally. This was followed up with "Slime Rancher 2" in 2022, which was met with similar acclaim. As such, it should come as no surprise that a movie is in the works, according to Deadline, from the minds at Story Kitchen. This collective consists of Derek Kolstad (writer and creator of "John Wick"), Dmitri M. Johnson (producer for "Sonic the Hedgehog" film and television), and Mike Goldberg (APA agent).

The team already has several video game adaptations in the works, including Netflix shows for "Tomb Raider" and "Splinter Cell." Other games receiving adaptations elsewhere include Sega's "Toejam & Earl," "Streets of Rage," and "It Takes Two." Now, Story Kitchen has its sights set on "Slime Rancher," and the potential for a movie based on that game is exciting to think about. 

"Slime Rancher" sees you play as Beatrix LeBeau, a plucky rancher who travels a thousand light years from Earth into the Far, Far Range to amass a fortune wrangling slime. It's an open-world sandbox where your job is to collect, feed, raise, and breed slimes to get unique sizes and characteristics. By feeding the slimes, you can receive plorts, which can then be exchanged for the in-game currency, Newbucks, that you'll need to upgrade your equipment.

At first glance, feeding slimes and earning cash doesn't seem like it would make an engaging feature-length film. But there's more to this story that could be mined for potential. Throughout the game, Beatrix receives letters from back home from a special someone named Casey. These letters provide insight into the characters' past. While Casey's excited about all of the adventures Beatrix could have on this new planet, there's a tinge of sadness about what could have been.

A movie about someone trying to find the rarest slimes possible can already be a ton of fun, but throw in an emotional crux, and a "Slime Rancher" movie could be extraordinary. No further details about the project are available at this time, but this should be a movie fans keep an eye on closely.