Video games have become the new gold mine for film and television. Following the success of productions such as The Last of Us and Fallout, it is easy to understand why more franchises are preparing to make the jump to television with series aimed at reaching a much broader audience.

In March of this year, Vice Studios and Starbreeze Entertainment confirmed the adaptation of a popular video game franchise that recently stumbled following the failure of its third installment. This morning, it was revealed that the production is still moving forward and that Curtis Jackson, the rapper better known as 50 Cent, will serve as its executive producer.

PAYDAY TV Series Is Still Happening, and 50 Cent Will Serve as Executive Producer

One of the upcoming video game franchises making its way to television is PAYDAY, which has established itself as one of the leading heist-game franchises. The release of PAYDAY 3 marked a new era for the IP and Starbreeze Entertainment; however, things did not go as planned. We will get into that shortly.

The good news for PAYDAY fans is that its television series is still in development. According to a recent report from Variety, the production has already found its executive producer, and it is none other than rapper 50 Cent.

The actor will also work on the PAYDAY series through his production company, G-Unit Film & Television, which is behind Sean Combs: The Reckoning, TikTok Star Murders, and other series. The adaptation promises “cinematic heists” and “high-octane action,” along with “stories of betrayal, conspiracy, and corruption,” so it will fully embrace the spirit of the franchise.

PAYDAY 50 serie TV

“G-Unit Film & TV has created cinematic crime stories that connect with audiences around the world,” 50 Cent said. “Joining forces with Vice Studios and bringing the world of ‘PAYDAY’ to the screen gives us the opportunity to build something big, an energetic franchise that pushes the heist genre forward.”

For now, there are few additional details about the television series. Amy Powell, president of Vice Studios, said that working with G-Unit Film & TV will be crucial to satisfying fans, as the company will bring a “franchise-faithful perspective without taking the easy route.”

At this time, the PAYDAY live-action series has no confirmed cast or estimated release date. It is also unknown which streaming service will carry it or who will be responsible for writing the script.

The PAYDAY series is still moving forward despite the franchise’s recent setbacks.

The Franchise Is in Trouble Following PAYDAY 3’s Failure

The franchise’s most recent installment debuted in 2023 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Starbreeze Studios expected it to be a massive success following the sensation that PAYDAY 2 had been for years. However, PAYDAY 3 quickly became a major setback that put the future of the IP—and the company itself—in jeopardy.

At launch, the title reached a respectable 220,000 concurrent players, but technical problems overshadowed its release. The servers could not handle the demand, and connection issues ruined matches for thousands of users.

Meanwhile, the community quickly realized that PAYDAY 3 did not have enough content, leading many players to return to the second installment. As a result, the latest title rapidly lost players. In early 2024, Starbreeze acknowledged the game’s failure and revealed an ambitious plan to turn things around with new features, updates, game modes, and more.

Ultimately, many fans turned their backs on PAYDAY 3, and the game became an even bigger problem for its developers. They were forced to cancel projects, lay off employees, and undergo a restructuring that has cast doubt over the future of the IP.