Sega’s OutRun is Getting a Michael Bay-Directed Movie Adaptation

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Summary

  • OutRun is a classic Sega arcade game that debuted in 1986, with the franchise’s last mainline entry dating all the way back to 2009.
  • Sega is developing a live-action OutRun movie with Michael Bay directing and Sydney Sweeney producing.
  • The script for the OutRun movie adaptation will be written by Jayson Rothwell, who served as writer for Polar and Arachnid.

The timeless arcade game “Sega” is set to hit the silver screen, as it’s officially being adapted for a feature film. Notable figures in Hollywood, such as Michael Bay and Sydney Sweeney, are involved in this adaptation. Universal Pictures is teaming up with Sega to create a movie inspired by “OutRun”, a legendary racing series from Sega, which despite being less active, remains one of the company’s most recognized video game franchises.

In recent times, Sega has been pouring substantial resources to broaden its top-selling game franchises into other areas. The Sonic the Hedgehog film series, which debuted in 2020, has been a hit, even leading to a Knuckles spin-off miniseries. A fourth Sonic movie is coming up, and Sega also transformed the Like a Dragon: Yakuza franchise into a TV show that premiered last year on Amazon Prime Video. Furthermore, live-action adaptations for renowned franchises such as Streets of Rage, Crazy Taxi, Shinobi, and now another one are in development.

According to a recent report from Deadline, it appears that Sega is transforming the classic game, OutRun, into a live-action movie. This film will be directed by Michael Bay, renowned for his action-packed blockbusters like Transformers, Bad Boys, and Armageddon. Jayson Rothwell, known for Polar and Arachnid, will write the script for this movie. Additionally, Sydney Sweeney, a prominent actress from Euphoria and The White Lotus, has signed on as a producer. For Sega, Toru Nakahara, senior executive officer who produced Sonic the Hedgehog films, and Shuji Utsumi, president and COO, will oversee the project. Universal Pictures, responsible for hit adaptations like the Super Mario Bros. Movie and Five Nights at Freddy’s, will develop this live-action OutRun movie.

OutRun Movie Adaptation to Be Directed by Michael Bay and Produced by Sydney Sweeney

Back in the ’86 gaming scene, I found myself at the wheel of an iconic game known as “OutRun,” originally titled so by none other than Sega legend Yu Suzuki. This game was a trailblazer, with its state-of-the-art graphics, intuitive controls, and heart-pounding soundtrack that made every race feel like a high-octane adventure. Over the years, “OutRun” cruised onto platforms such as the Sega Master System, Genesis, Saturn, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Nintendo 3DS, PC, and many more. The latest addition to the series was 2009’s “OutRun: Online Arcade,” which revved up on Xbox 360 and PS3, receiving generally positive reviews. Unfortunately, by the end of 2011, Sega decided to take “OutRun: Online Arcade” off both platforms because of license expiration.

After more than 16 years without a fresh installment in the OutRun series, its sudden entry into the film world might suggest that bigger things are on the horizon for the franchise. Sega has made it clear they aim to breathe life back into their classic franchises, and many of their upcoming live-action projects, such as Shinobi, Crazy Taxi, and Streets of Rage, are also scheduled for new game releases soon. Whether or not OutRun will join this trend is something we’ll have to wait and see.

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2025-04-22 09:24