Three-year prison sentence? Pfft, whatever! Wesley Snipes isn’t letting a little thing like prison stop him, and he is working on a new video game title, meeting with game developers while in the slammer.
As previously posted, Snipes is teaming up with Finnish game developer Lapland Studios, who are working in conjunction with Elstree Studio Productions and Red 27 Films on Julius Styles: The International. It’s an action/strategy game that features Snipes as a “facilitator” – a man with unique talents that are in high demand in a world powered by money, sex, and intrigue.
According to an official statement from Snipes, “This project was inspired by my desire to bring my Art of War, Murder at 1600 and Passenger 57 characters into the game world. Julius Styles will offer something for both the mind game strategist and the kick-ass special ops warrior lover… I love games that challenge my mind and reflexes.”
That’s right, Wesley Snipes is issuing statements from prison. But what exactly is he doing on the game while, you know, he’s in jail?
“At this stage we don’t need his involvement so much,” game developer Ilkka Immonen tells Eurogamer. “I don’t know how long his sentence will be, but I’m hopeful he will get out by the time we need him again. But what we’re doing at the moment, we can get on with it without him for, let’s say, at least six to eight months.” After that, Immonen doesn’t know.
Snipes is one month into his three-year prison sentence.
The famed actor, perhaps best known for his work in Blade and Passenger 57, was sentenced for tax evasion. The studio was “so shocked” when the actor was sent to prison and had been preparing for it subconsciously. “We were just sad for him and his family that he needed to go,” the game designer adds.
Immonen says his studio and studio reps are seeking to meet with Snipes while he’s in prison to discuss the game, “maybe something during this year, maybe (northern) spring” in a yet unscheduled meeting. Granted, Snipes is no game developer, and his input on the game is negotiable at best.
Julius Styles is apparently planned for the iPad and iPhone this June, followed by a release on Xbox Live Arcade, the PlayStation Network, WiiWare, and Android phones
“Before we started this I said to everybody,” Immonen says, “I’m not going to be the guy who will be remembered as taking Wesley Snipes’ name and his face to some shitty game.”
No, you are going to be remembered as the guy who took Wesley Snipes’ name and his face, but whether it’s to some shitty game, we’ll have to wait and see.
Julius Styles dev to meet jailed Snipes News [Eurogamer]
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