Dreamworks Begins to Fill Out Cast for 'Need for Speed'

Dreamworks announced its intentions to bring Electronic Arts's long-running "Need for Speed" franchise to the big screen earlier this year, and the studio is now in the process of filling out the cast for the adaptation. Recent reports indicate that Dominic Cooper has joined as one of the leads, and he'll be joined by Aaron Paul and Imogen Poots.

Scott Waugh landed the directing gig for the film shortly after the success of his debut feature, "Act of Valor." He'll be working from a script penned by George Gatlins, who was working from an original idea by his brother John (whose recent credits include "Flight").
The film, which is being touted as "faithful to the spirit" of the popular video game franchise, will center on an underground race car driver (Paul) who specializes in modified rides. It ends up being a dangerous business, as he's framed for his best friend's murder and sent to jail. Upon his release, he returns to the scene to seek revenge.
Cooper will play another driver who uses his NASCAR connections to thrive in the business of souping up cars for races, while Poots will play "an exotic car dealer" who will deal with Paul and Cooper.
The premise sounds like it could actually be derived from a "Need for Speed" game, as the franchise has included more than a few entries that attempted to weave storylines into their gameplay. Police chases have also been a staple of the games since law enforcement was introduced in the "Hot Pursuit" series.
"Need for Speed" coming to theaters also brings the franchise full circle; the film is being touted as Dreamworks's attempt to get in on the "Fast and Furious" business, and it's arguable that Universal's popular film series helped to revive the "Need for Speed" video game franchise. When "The Fast and the Furious" series hit it big, underground car culture and modifications were all the rage, so the "Need for Speed" series followed suit and hasn't looked back ever since.
Of course, Hollywood hasn't had the best track record when it comes to video game adaptations, so "Need for Speed" fans would be wise to keep their expectations in check until the film is released in