"Ninja" centers on a ninja warrior, part of a centuries-old legacy and bloodline, forced to confront the reality of covert warfare in the modern world.

"The game concept is actually based on facts that the Yakuza and the Russian mob are involved in tons of gold being stolen in South Africa," said Terrence Chang, Woo's production partner.

Added Spector: "The idea actually started with John Woo. He wanted to do something involving traditional ninjas in a modern-day setting, and the idea just resonated with me. I was intrigued with the idea of what happens when the traditional and the contemporary come into conflict."

Spector said Woo was intimately involved in the creation of the "Ninja" cast of characters, especially the hero. He said Woo's input on the basic situations and thematic underpinnings of the story puts him in a great position to develop the film property without a lot of assistance from the game creators.

Chang said the film will be more reality-based but still will have fantastic elements from the game. He said the hope is to put the film into production next year, but that requires a script to be completed by then. No timetable or publisher has been announced for the game.