Sony Pictures has tapped Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein, the team behind Final Destination, for a broad first-look agreement that spans the studio’s entire slate. Their company Wonderlab will develop projects for them to direct and will produce for other filmmakers, with an emphasis on high-energy, crowd-pleasing cinema and genre-blending thrills.
Under the deal, the duo will helm Columbia Pictures’ live-action adaptation of Metal Gear Solid, the landmark video game from Hideo Kojima. Avi Arad and Ari Arad are attached as producers, and the project would mark the franchise’s first major on-screen entry.
Sony Pictures’ film chiefs say Lipovsky and Stein bring bold visuals and suspense to the table, and the arrangement deepens their ongoing relationship with Sony, which also has them developing multiple projects, including an animated Venom movie for Sony Pictures Animation and The Earthling for Columbia Pictures, which they will direct and produce with others.
In the past year the duo delivered Final Destination: Bloodlines, released May 2025, which grossed about $317 million worldwide on a $50 million budget, becoming the franchise’s top earner and one of its best-reviewed entries. They’ve also built momentum with Freaks and are moving forward on a Freaks sequel.
Beyond Metal Gear Solid, Lipovsky and Stein are tied to other high-profile Sony projects, including a Gremlins feature for Warner Bros., Long Lost with Amblin and Universal, and The Traveler at Paramount. They are represented by Verve, Ground Control, and attorney Jamie Feldman.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Sony and bring Kojima’s iconic world to life for movie audiences,” the directors said. “This collaboration reflects our shared passion for cinematic, crowd-pleasing storytelling.”
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