Need for Speed movie arriving February 7, 2014

Last month, DreamWorks Studios announced it had picked up the film rights to Electronic Arts' flagship racing franchise Need for Speed, revealing that a movie based on the series wouldn't enter production until 2013. Despite that, according to Deadline, DreamWorks has announced a firm release date for the untitled film: February 7, 2014. Disney will distribute the film worldwide upon release.

The Need for Speed film is being described by EA as "a fast-paced, high-octane film rooted in the tradition of the great car culture films of the '70s while being extremely faithful to the spirit of the video game franchise." The project will not be based on any single game in the series.

Directing the film will be Scott Waugh, who's best known for helming Act of Valor, a military movie starring active-duty US Navy SEALs. Possibly more relevant to the Need for Speed project will be Waugh's experience on stunt crews for dozens of films, including Torque, The Italian Job, and Biker Boyz.

Waugh will be filming a screenplay penned by George Gatins, the executive producer of DreamWorks' 2010 comedy She's Out of My League. Gatins developed the Need for Speed film's story with his brother John, who is producing the film and also wrote the scripts for Real Steel and the upcoming Flight.

As for the gaming franchise, it too has a new installment on the way in the form of Criterion Games' Need for Speed Most Wanted, which is set for release on October 30.