While we might want to laugh at Vin Diesel, mostly 'cause his name's funny and he played a nanny in The Pacifier, the reality is his Tigon Studios was responsible for Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, one of the best video game movie adaptations to date. So the announcement that Vin and co. are working on a new project is met with a little less cynicism than similar announcements would otherwise be.

ComingSoon.net reports that Tigon Studios and Midway games are creating The Wheelman video game and Tigon Films and MTV Films are making the movie, to be distributed by Paramount Pictures. Who's going to play the titular wheelman? Why, Mr. Diesel of course, who had this to say about the project:

"With 'The Wheelman' we have created the first integrated franchise being launched for both the gaming and film industries... In collaborating with Midway, MTV and Paramount, Tigon Studios has brought together an incredible team to execute this project."

The rest of report finds the different participants waxing on about how this new model--and this new franchise--will irrevocably change the very concept of entertainment forever.

[Via Xbox Circle]