Michael Bayis attached to direct a movie adaptation of a popular 1980s video game, with Sydney Sweeney to produce. One of the most commercially successful directors of all time,Bay is best known forhis bombastic, big-budget action movies, including the first twoBad Boysmovies,The Rock,Armageddon,Pearl Harbor, and the first fiveTransformersmovies. Sweeney, on the other hand, is one of the biggest rising stars in Hollywood who, after earning Emmy nods for HBO’sEuphoriaandThe White Lotusseason 1, has starred in several successful movies, includingAnyone But YouandImmaculate.
Now, the two are teaming up for a film adaptation of a popular 1980s video game. According toDeadline,Bay is attached to direct Universal’s movie adaptation of Sega’s iconic arcade gameOutRun, with Sweeney on board to produce. Jayson Rothwell is writing the screenplay, though plot details are under wraps for now.
What The OutRun Movie Means For Video Game Adaptations
Another One Is In Development
While a major trend for the past few years,video game adaptations are especially having a moment right now, withA Minecraft Moviedominating the box office andThe Last of Usseason 2making a powerful return in recent weeks. Universal is also no newcomer to the trend, having been behind the massive success ofThe Super Mario Bros. MovieandFive Nights at Freddy’s, which earned $1.4 billion and $290 million, respectively. Sega’s ownSonic the Hedgehoggames have also been adapted into three successful movies, which have grossed over $1 billion collectively.
OutRunis a beloved Sega franchise that rose to fame as one of the most popular arcade games of the 1980s. The game, with itsdistinct blend of fast-paced gameplay and synth-heavy music, helped pioneer a new type of driving game and even inspired a music genre that shares its name. The game has become a global phenomenon and, over the years, has seen multiple releases across arcades and home consoles, securing its place as one of Sega’s most iconic titles.
Sweeney is currently one of the busiest starsin Hollywood, but she’s also been making strides behind the camera. In the past few years, she’s taken on a more active role as a producer onAnyone But You,Immaculate, an upcoming Christy Martin biopic, andThe Housemaid. Since, so far, she has only produced projects in which she also stars,it’s possible that Sweeney will also be starring in theOutRunmovie.
Our Take On The Outrun Movie
Michael Bay Seems Like The Best Choice
Michael Bay seems like the best choice to bringOutRunto the big screen. He famously turned toys and cartoons into the blockbusterTransformersfilm franchise, so he should be able to do the same with the arcade driving game.OutRundoesn’t come with much built-in story, which shouldn’t be a major problem for Michael Bay, whose focus will be on the bombastic driving action.
