Sega's iconic arcade racing game, OutRun, is gearing up for a thrilling movie adaptation, with renowned director Michael Bay and actress Sydney Sweeney on board. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Universal Pictures has enlisted Bay, known for his work on the Transformers series, to direct and produce this exciting project. Sweeney, who will also serve as a producer, joins the team alongside screenwriter Jayson Rothwell, though plot details remain under wraps and no release date has been announced yet.
On the Sega front, Toru Nakahara, a key figure in the Sonic movies, steps in as a producer, with Sega America and Europe CEO Shuji Utsumi overseeing the film's development. Originally launched in 1986, OutRun was a groundbreaking arcade driving game crafted by the legendary Sega developer Yu Suzuki. Over the years, it has seen multiple iterations and ports, with a notable sequel released in 2003. Although the franchise has been relatively quiet, the most recent entry was OutRun Online Arcade by Sumo Digital in 2009.
Sega has been actively revisiting its extensive library, with new titles in development for Crazy Taxi, Jet Set Radio, Golden Axe, Virtua Fighter, and Shinobi. Additionally, Sega has successfully ventured into adaptations of its intellectual properties, with the Sonic movies achieving significant popularity and the Like a Dragon: Yakuza series making its debut on Amazon last year. The demand for video game adaptations is soaring, evidenced by the record-breaking success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie and the upcoming A Minecraft Movie.
While specifics about the OutRun movie are yet to be revealed, fans might anticipate a high-octane, action-packed film reminiscent of the Fast & Furious series, given Michael Bay's directorial style and the game's racing theme.
