reported by Fran Dee, CyberScreenwriter.com

The Wheelman is being developed as an intensely riveting video game from Midway, in association with Diesel's Tigon Studios and MTV Games, intended to serve as the introduction to a series of related entertainment offerings.

MTV Films and Paramount Pictures have purchased the rights to develop a major motion picture based on the video game. The Wheelman is being developed as an adrenaline-charged action movie starring Vin Diesel as an expert wheelman who comes out of retirement to protect a woman from his past.

Rich Wilkes, who worked with Diesel on "XXX," is slated to write the script for the project. Diesel's Tigon Films and MTV Films plan to produce the film, and Paramount Pictures intends to release it. Overseeing the film for MTV Films will be David Gale, Executive Vice President, Loretha Jones, Senior Vice President of Development and Jason Weiss, Senior Director of Development. Overseeing for Paramount will be Dan Levine, Senior Vice President Production, Matt Jackson, Vice President Production and Eben Davidson, Director Creative Affairs. Overseeing for Diesel's Tigon Studios will be Samantha Vincent, Vice President and Coz Lazouras, Product Development Executive.

The Wheelman will be the second of three titles under the recently announced strategic relationship between MTV Networks and Midway to market, jointly sell in-game advertising and collaborate on soundtrack development.