Ridley Scott Associates working on DRIV3R short

Atari has today announced that it has signed Ridley Scott Associates (RSA) to produce a three-minute live-action film inspired by its upcoming action game DRIV3R. The first episode of the three-part short, entitled Run The Gauntlet, is currently in post-production and is expected to debut on the recently launched official DRIV3R Web site on January 23. Episodes II and III of the short film will be released during February and March respectively.

"DRIV3R is a unique property, and we wanted a marketing approach that matched the game in innovation. Since Hollywood and interactive entertainment have become more and more intertwined in terms of content, it was a natural progression to expand that relationship to encompass marketing and promotion," said Wim Stocks, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Atari. "With RSA's tremendous talent and experience, we knew we would get an explosive film that would enhance the DRIV3R brand the way BMWFilms enhanced the BMW brand. And by bringing this original film to gamers in an interactive environment on the Internet, we will be able to deliver the same kind of immersive, adrenaline-filled experience that they get actually playing games."

"To be given artistic license to bring the world of DRIV3R to life through our vision, is an incredible creative opportunity," said Jules Daly, president of Ridley Scott Associates. "DRIV3R plays like an interactive movie, with richly developed characters, expansive environments, and nonstop action. There are no boundaries in the world of DRIV3R, and Atari put no creative boundaries on RSA for this project."

Currently in development at Atari's Reflections Interactive studio, DRIV3R is scheduled for release on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox in March with a PC version to follow. For more information, check out our previous coverage of the game.