Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson's G-Unit Film and Television has partnered with Starbreeze Studios and Vice Studios to executive produce a screen adaptation of the Payday franchise. The nature of the adaptation, whether a television series or a film, has not yet been specified.
The deal builds on Starbreeze's March agreement with Vice Studios to develop Payday for audiences beyond gaming, across "screen and other formats." The announcement stated that Jackson's production company will bring its experience in cinematic crime stories to the project.
"G-Unit Film and TV has built cinematic crime stories that connect with audiences around the world," Jackson said in a statement. "Teaming up with Starbreeze and Vice Studios and bringing the world of Payday to the screen gives us the chance to build something big, a high-energy franchise that pushes the heist genre forward."
Starbreeze CEO Adolf Kristjansson echoed this sentiment, noting that the franchise is "about the fantasy of getting away with it." He added that Jackson's involvement aligns with the studio's less subtle approach, stating, "Curtis and G-Unit don't do subtle, and neither do we. This is not about playing it safe; it's about doing the franchise justice with people who are as immersed in the world as we are."
Details regarding how this new partnership aligns with or supersedes a previous 2023 deal Starbreeze made with production company Stockholm Syndrome to develop a Payday story for TV or film remain unclear. Starbreeze has been contacted for clarification on this matter.