Michael Bay, Sydney Sweeney Collaborate on OutRun Movie Adaptation

by Annika April 22, 2025

Michael Bay and Sydney Sweeney are set to collaborate on a movie adaptation of Sega’s video game franchise, OutRun. Under Universal Pictures, Bay will direct and co-produce, with Sweeney involved as a producer. The screenplay will be written by Jayson Rothwell.

Michael Bay, Sydney Sweeney Collaborate on OutRun Movie Adaptation

– Universal Pictures is set to produce a movie adaptation of the Sega video game franchise OutRun with Michael Bay directing and Sydney Sweeney co-producing. The screenplay will be written by Jayson Rothwell.
– The original OutRun game debuted in 1986 and has remained a popular franchise for Sega. The film adaptation is part of a trend in Hollywood to adapt successful video games into movies.
– Bay and Sweeney are also producing the feature, with Sega Corporation president Shuji Utsumi overseeing the project on behalf of the gaming company.

Michael Bay and Sydney Sweeney have teamed up with Universal Pictures to bring the popular Sega video game series OutRun to the silver screen. While Bay is slated to helm the project from the director’s chair as well as take on production responsibilities, Sweeney will join as a producer as well. The script will be in the hands of Jayson Rothwell, though specific details about the story are yet to be released.

On the production front, Bay will work alongside Brad Fuller, under the auspices of Platinum Dunes, their creative venture. This project falls into their first-look agreement with the Universal Pictures studio. Sega’s involvement in the production is essential, with Toru Nakahara on board as producer and Shuji Utsumi, President of the Sega Corporation overseeing the film on Sega’s behalf.

OutRun, the game that serves as the inspiration for this movie adaptation, first captured player’s attention in 1986. Known for its unique gameplay of navigating through traffic and reaching the destination before the timer hits zero, OutRun has remained a touchstone for Sega, spawning an array of sequels over the decades.

Keeping a close eye on the project for Universal are Matt Reilly, Executive VP of Production Development, and Ryan Jones, Senior VP of Production Development. The move to adapt video games for the film medium comes in the wake of hit adaptations like The Super Mario Bros. Movie by Universal, Paramount’s Sonic the Hedgehog series, and Warner Bros. and Legendary’s A Minecraft Movie. Universal is also preparing to release the sequel to the Josh Hutcherson-starring horror adaptation of the Five Nights at Freddy’s game series later this year.

Audiences will next get to see Sweeney performing alongside Julianne Moore in Echo Valley, set to premiere on Apple TV+ in June.