Vin Diesel is... The Wheelman!
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]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Angus @ Feb 22nd 2006 2:20PM
Three words:
Enter the Matrix
bxjoseff @ Feb 22nd 2006 2:23PM
This is ridiculous...I have nothing against Vin Diesel...I loved Chronicles of Riddick and all...but why does MTV have to be a part of this bullshit marketing ploy?
I mean...how much Vin Diesel are we gonna have to deal with when it comes to video games? Riddick? Agent 47? Wheelman?? and he's even going to start in the Next Gen version of SpyHunter...WTF??? just go away!
Scott @ Feb 22nd 2006 2:31PM
The Wheelman? Sounds like a rip of The Transporter.
MECKALEcKAHAI @ Feb 22nd 2006 2:44PM
Driver: You are Vin Diesel
Alkaiser @ Feb 22nd 2006 2:44PM
If anyone were going to do this, from Hollywood it'd be Vin. That guy's a pretty big geek. It's not unusual for him to drop $1-$2K on D&D stuff, and he even wrote the forward for a D&D book. I'd imagine he games a lot, too, so maybe this'll work out.
I'm going to need to see more info on the game first, of course, but who else from Hollywood would you rather have trying this approach? Uwe Boll? The Rock? Brent Ratner? This could have come from worse avenues is all I'm saying.
Sense @ Feb 22nd 2006 2:45PM
Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Starbreeze develop Chronicles of Riddick?
I don't know what work Tigon actually put into it.
I'm not knocking his studio, I just really dig Starbreeze.
Dwigt @ Feb 22nd 2006 2:50PM
Yeah, Sense is right, Starbreeze Studios was responsible for the game being any good, the only thing Tigon Studios did was make sure that the virtual Vin's polygonal biceps were proportional.
Boss @ Feb 22nd 2006 3:14PM
I agree with Angus
Zach @ Feb 22nd 2006 3:27PM
Tigon didn't develop Escape From Butcher Bay, Starbreeze did, and they're working on The Darkness right now. The Wheelman will probably be shitty without Starbreeze developing it.
Gonzo @ Feb 22nd 2006 3:38PM
He's got to try anything to save his career.
Any news on what this movie&game are about?
Have you guys seen the video clip of his breakdance video from the 80s? It was on Web Junk a couple of weeks ago. I still can't believe they thought people would buy the umd of The Pacifier.
JodyAnthony @ Feb 22nd 2006 3:48PM
At least Midway is in charge of the game. They make nothing but the highest quality video games.
Brinstar @ Feb 22nd 2006 3:50PM
Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay wasn't a film adaptation. The events in the game happened before the film.
Shad Genki @ Feb 22nd 2006 4:58PM
I think it's okay to rip off The Transporter, because that was actually a ripoff of Riding Bean.
Dan Choi @ Feb 22nd 2006 7:03PM
Right you are, Sense. I don't know to what extent Tigon worked on Butcher Bay, but Starbreeze did do a lot of heavy lifting as the game's developer.
UglyMonkey @ Feb 23rd 2006 4:08PM
Do you play as a mechanic in the Wheelman? One who specializes in, I don't know, wheels?