Need for Speed film to release during 2014 from DreamWorks

DreamWorks has acquired the film rights to EA's Need for Speed and the firm plans to release it during 2014. EA will produce the film with John Gatins and Mark Sourianmad Act of Valor's Scott Waugh will direct it. Production will start next year.

"I'm excited about getting back into the creative trenches with John and George Gatins and my partners at EA to bring to life an exhilarating script based on an epic video game that seems to have been made for the movies," said DreamWorks chairman Steven Spielberg in the press release.

"This is a big piece of business for DreamWorks and we are grateful to Frank Gibeau, Pat O'Brien, Kevin Maher and John and George for choosing us to deliver their goods."

George and John Gatins have penned an original story for the movie which is not based on any of the games in the series, but instead a "a fast-paced, high-octane film rooted in the tradition of the great car culture films of the 70s."

EA noted it would still be "being extremely faithful to the spirit of the video game franchise," with the cars hot and the racing even hotter.

Rumors of the film first surfaced in April.