Midway Partners With Vin Diesel On Wheelman Game, Related Film

Hollywood action star Vin Diesel is becoming involved with video games again, after 2004's successful Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay, the game produced by Diesel's Tigon Studios and developed by Swedish firm Starbreeze, based on the eponymous sci-fi movie. Diesel is currently in line to produce and star in The Wheelman, which will simultaneously see development as a game and movie. The film side of the property will be handled by MTV Films and Paramount Pictures; so far, the only confirmed cast and crew members are Diesel himself in the starring role and screenwriter Rich Wilkes handling the movie's script. No director, storyline, or costars have been announced, though the movie's title suggests Diesel being caught up, Driver-style, as a getaway driver for a gang of thieves. On the game side, Tigon will assist Midway Games' Newcastle development studio in producing the title. Formerly known as Pitbull Syndicate, Midway Newcastle was previously responsible for L.A. Rush, giving the team the necessary experience with driving games to handle a game called Wheelman. Diesel will most likely be involved in the game's production to capture motion, facial details, and voice acting, as he did with Chronicles of Riddick. "We believe The Wheelman is a groundbreaking new model for our industry," said Midway president and CEO David F. Zucker. "We intend to create a broad-arcing experience, simultaneously developing entertainment properties across a number of mediums, with Vin Diesel right at the center of it all."