Just like every other big-name video game franchise that is rumored to be making a jump to the big screen, there’s been talks about a Need for Speed film for quite some time. It appears now however, that Need for Speed will in fact be the next gaming franchise in line for a film adaptation, as Deadline reports that DreamWorks has tied a concrete release date to the movie: February 7, 2014. I know what you’re thinking – “Damn, just after the window for Oscar nominations.”
Though the movie won’t be based on any single game of the Need for Speed series, the film is being touted by EA as a “fast-paced, high-octane film rooted in the tradition of the great car culture films of the ’70s while being extremely faithful to the spirit of the video game franchise.” Scott Waugh, whose last endeavor was the February military action film Act of Valor starring active-duty Navy SEALs, will be directing the project. Act of Valor was panned by critics, but managed to garner a successful box office run. Waugh will bring with him his stunt crew experience for films such as The Italian Job, Torque, and Biker Boyz. All projects extremely relevant to the source material, if you ask me.
The screenplay is reportedly being developed by George Gatins who served as executive producer of She’s Out of My League, a 2010 comedy also produced by DreamWorks. His brother John will also be assisting on screenplay work, as he’s had previous experience writing the script for 2011’s Real Steel and is currently working on a script for the film Flight, due out in November and starring Denzel Washington.
