Sydney Sweeney and Michael Bay join forces for OutRun video game movie adaptation at Universal

Universal taps Michael Bay to direct and Sydney Sweeney to produce a film based on Sega’s iconic OutRun game.

Sega’s classic 1986 arcade racing game OutRun is getting a big-screen revival at Universal Pictures, with Michael Bay set to direct and Sydney Sweeney producing.

OutRun was a groundbreaking driving game that not only became one of the most successful arcade titles of the 1980s but also inspired a synth-heavy electronic music subgenre bearing the same name. Its fast-paced gameplay, scenic routes, and cultural impact helped establish it as a flagship Sega franchise, spawning several sequels and home console adaptations.

Jayson Rothwell (Polar, Arachnid) is writing the screenplay, while plot details are still under wraps as reported by Deadline.

Sweeney will produce alongside Bay and Brad Fuller under their Platinum Dunes banner, which has a first-look deal with Universal. Sega veteran Toru Nakahara (Sonic the Hedgehog, Knuckles) will also produce, with Sega Corporation president Shuji Utsumi overseeing the project on the company’s behalf. Universal executives Matt Reilly and Ryan Jones will oversee development for the studio according to Deadline.

This adaptation adds to Universal’s winning streak with video game properties, following the box office success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie ($1.4 billion globally) and Five Nights at Freddy’s ($290 million worldwide).

Bay is represented by Rich Cook at Range Media Partners, while Sweeney is repped by Paradigm, imPRint, and Stewart Brookman at Hansen Jacobson. Rothwell is represented by Cliff Roberts and Austin Williams.