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Columbia Pictures announced they obtained exclusive motion picture rights to develop and produce a movie based on the toy car line, Hot Wheels. The live-action movie will be directed by McG ("Charlie's Angels," "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle," "Fastlane") and produced by John Baldecchi and Jason Hoffs.

In a press release announcing the "Hot Wheels" deal, Amy Pascal, Vice Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment and Chairman of Columbia Pictures said, "Hot Wheels has had an enormous impact on pop culture for 35 years. Generations of families have grown up with these beloved cars and track sets. We could not be more thrilled and challenged by the opportunity to successfully translate the Hot Wheels brand into a feature film. The goal is to create a compelling human element with a dramatic focus that will take audiences on the ride of their life."

Director McG added, "We all grew up with Hot Wheels -- it's one of the great, clean renowned brands of our generation. We've been given the opportunity to bring to life a world inspired by color, adventure and velocity. We want to create a timeless story that will work for everyone -- a charismatic young hero, great stakes and jeopardy, and a fantastic love story."

According to the release, McG envisions "Hot Wheels" as a film that has, "all the warmth and humanity of your favorite James Dean movie with the state-of-the-art visual effects and the hottest collection of automobiles ever brought to the screen."

Columbia Pictures has not yet named the screenwriters responsible for bringing the "Hot Wheels" story to the big screen.

"When dealing with a childhood image that has the universal appeal of Hot Wheels, you should proceed in a very deliberate yet innovative way," said Columbia Pictures President Peter Schlessel. "McG understands the extraordinary potential of this property and we know he can deliver on the suspense and adventure we expect. This is a property that we will 'fast track'."

"When we were kids, nothing was better than getting together with friends and laying down that incomparable orange track in the living room or backyard," said producers Hoffs and Baldecchi. "Hot Wheels is all about speed, power and performance with unrivaled attitude. It's a great fantasy world for kids and we can't wait to expand that universe to the big screen."

SOURCE: Columbia Pictures