Dmitri M. Johnson

Dmitri M. Johnson is an American film producer. He is a co-founder of Story Kitchen (formerly dj2 Entertainment), alongside Michael Lawrence Goldberg.

History

Dmitri M. Johnson (born in San Diego, California) graduated from Chapman University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film Production, in 2003.

In the 2000s Johnson started his entertainment career at Gotham Group. In 2011, Johnson pivoted to full-time producing by co-founding dj2 Entertainment (alongside Dan Jevons).

Story Kitchen

In 2022, Johnson co-launched Story Kitchen, an American independent production company focused on adapting videogames, and other 'non-traditional' IPs, into film and television. Story Kitchen currently has a television first-look deal with Amazon MGM Studios as well as an animated film first-look deal with DreamWorks Animation.

In May 2025, Variety's Luminate Film & TV report published "The State of the Video Game & Toy IP Landscape", naming Story Kitchen 3rd in Hollywood (with 11 active adaptations at time of publishing), seated behind Mattel, and LEGO, for the most "Notable Transmedia Prodcos, by Game/Toy".

Filmography

Films

As producer

• Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)
• Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024)
• ' (TBA)
• Grow a Garden (TBA)
• The House of the Dead (TBA)
• Just Cause (TBA)
• Kingmakers (TBA)
• Ruiner (TBA)
• Sifu (TBA)
• Split Fiction (TBA)
• Teddy Ruxpin (TBA)
• ToeJam & Earl (TBA)

• Rival Peak (2020)
• ' (2024–25)
• Life Is Strange (TBA)
• Tomb Raider (TBA)

Panels

• Games for Change: "Games, Hollywood, and Impact"
• Global Tech Weekend Tbilisi: "Shaping the New Era"
• Screen Play / London Games
• SXSW: "Transmedia is Back – But What Comes Next?"
• XDS External Development Summit: "BAFTA Presents "Franchise Farming" with Story Kitchen — When, How, and with Whom to Grow a Game IP into Film/TV, Animation, and Beyond"

Further reading

• Naavik Gaming Podcast: How User-Generated Games Are Becoming Hollywood Franchises
• Entrepreneur's Problem Solvers: "They Turn Video Games Into Movies & TV - Here's How"
• The Games Business' video interview at Screen Play London Games: "We've never had a better moment to adapt your game to film or TV"
• NPR interview with Dmitri M. Johnson titled, "How do you take a video game and turn it into a compelling narrative"
• The Purpose Made Podcast: "Why Game Movies Flop & Story Kitchen's Secret Sauce"

References