Need for Speed director Scott Waugh has opened up about his heartwarming reunion with filmmaker Steven Spielberg before filming of the video game adaptation began. The 2014 action film stars Aaron Paul as mechanic Tobey Marshall, who sets out for revenge against Dino Brewster (Dominic Cooper), a man who framed Tobey for a crime he didn’t commit. The film was produced under DreamWorks Pictures, of which Spielberg is a co-founder.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Waugh recalled when he had a heartwarming reunion with Spielberg before filming the Need for Speed movie. The director had previously worked on another Spielberg film over 20 years prior, and was surprised to learn Spielberg remembered who he was. Check out what Waugh had to say below:
Yeah, that one is awesome. They brought me in to meet with Steven, and I was extremely nervous about that one. I have to be absolutely honest. It’s Steven Spielberg, and I was a stunt guy being asked to direct one of his movies. So I came in and they made me sit in this boardroom with everybody, and Steven was right next to me. So I looked at Steven, and we kind of idle chatted for a second. And I said, ‘Steven, you and I actually worked together, but it was a long time ago.’ And then he looked at me and gave me that Steven look. And he was like, ‘Which movie?’ And I said, ‘Hook.’ And he went, ‘You doubled the kid on the skateboard, didn’t you?’ And I thought, ‘How does he remember every single person? We worked together [21] years ago.’ He remembered me as a young guy. So that’s why he’s Steven Spielberg, and that’s why I’m Scott Waugh. (Laughs.) He’s just got this incredible attribute to remember everything.
Could Need For Speed 2 Ever Happen?
Need for Speed ended up being a box office disappointment, despite grossing $203.3 million worldwide against a $66 million budget. Even though the movie didn’t perform as intended, a sequel was planned as a co-production between EA Games and China Movie Channel. However, as of writing, there has been news on Need for Speed 2, indicating the project may have been quietly shelved.
If Need for Speed 2 does transpire, it seems Waugh won’t be involved, since the director has already moved on to direct recent films such as The Expendables 4 and Hidden Strike. The sequel was also slated to be filmed entirely in China, a far cry from the US setting of the original. It’s unclear if the new setting would still mean a return for Paul and other actors involved in the first film.
Despite the lack of news surrounding Need for Speed 2, the first film managed to reunited Waugh and Spielberg after 21 years apart from one another. Perhaps if either director is still invested in adapting the franchise, they could come together to brainstorm a new entry. For now, though, it appears Need for Speed will remain an action-packed standalone movie with a memorable behind-the-scenes story.
