14 DAY TRIAL // Electronic Arts, together with Hollywood studio Dreamworks, has confirmed that a Need for Speed movie is coming in 2014 and won't be based on any of the existing games.
Need for Speed games have delivered some intense racing experiences over the years and, due to its mainstream success, quite a lot of Hollywood studios have been interested in making movies based on the series.
EA, however, has declined it multiple times but, in recent months, we've heard quite a few rumors that the publisher is negotiating with a variety of studios for a big screen adaptation of the racing franchise.
Now, EA has confirmed that it has partnered with Dreamworks to make an official Need for Speed movie.
The film won't be based on an actual game from the series, however, as brothers George and John Gatins have written an original story set in the racing franchise. Scott Waugh, of Act of Valor fame, will direct the movie, which is set to start filming in early 2013 and will come out sometime in 2014.
"The film adaptation will be 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. In Need for Speed, the cars are hot, the racing is intense and the story keeps players at the edge of their seat," the movie's description reads.
As you can imagine, both Dreamworks and EA are quite happy about the collaboration.
"I'm excited about getting back into the creative trenches with John and George Gatins and my partners at EA to bring to life an exhilarating script based on an epic video game that seems to have been made for the movies," said Steven Spielberg, DreamWorks chairman.
"We are thrilled to be in business with our friends Steven Spielberg, Stacey Snider and the entire DreamWorks team," said Frank Gibeau, President of EA Labels. "They are the perfect partner to take Need for Speed to the big screen by creating the exciting action film that we have always envisioned."
Expect to hear more about the Need for Speed movie next year, when filming starts.