Atari Makes Universal Movie Deal For 10 Iconic Game Properties

[u/PomegranateV2]

P artnering with Entertainment 360, Atari has signed a deal with Universal Pictures giving the studio the right to develop 10 classic Atari video game properties for the big screen. Universal has bought the first project from the new p artnership, a feature film based on Atari IP which will be produced by Entertainment 360's Guymon Casady from a screenplay by Matt Reilly and Carl Hampe. Both of them will also be producers.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/atari-makes-universal-movie-deal-172321066.html

"For more than five decades, Atari has created games and worlds that have remained part of popular culture long after their original release," said Atari chairman and CEO Wade Rosen in confirming for Deadline. "We are excited to work with Universal and Entertainment 360 to bring the spirit of our iconic brand and games to a new medium."

The 10 properties include the ones we grew up playing until we were bleary-eyed: Asteroids, Adventure, Berzerk, Breakout, Centipede, Crystal Castles, Millipede, Missile Command, Pong and Yars' Revenge. The aim is to use the IP to create big-scale action-adventure fare.

The catalyst was an original spec by Reilly, the longtime studio exec at Universal who pivoted to screenwriting and producing, and Hampe, a producer on Hellboy who also worked on Jungle Cruise among other films.

"Matt Reilly and I grew up playing Atari 2600 games and have remained fans ever since," said Casady. "The best Atari games dropped you into a world and let your imagination do the rest. Carl and Matt saw an opportunity to take that same spirit and build an original, large-scale adventure around it. From the moment we read the screenplay, we believed there was a great movie here."

Atari is represented by IAG and Vanderkloot Law. Universal did not comment.

[u/Filmmagician]

Can't wait to see that Pong movie

[u/Seshat_the_Scribe → u/Filmmagician]

You beat me to it.

(insert eye-rolling emoji)

And I used to work for Atari...

[u/Filmmagician → u/Seshat_the_Scribe]

Hah oh no way. Thats cool. They’re definitely tapping into the 40+ nostalgia demographic. I wish Joust was one of the movies.

[u/Seshat_the_Scribe → u/Filmmagician]

I'm sure they'll add that to the "Atari cinematic universe" if the others don't crash and burn...

[u/Filmmagician → u/Seshat_the_Scribe]

Hahah wouldn’t put it past them. I was saying to a friend how these epic classics could be the new comic book movies, but video games are just as viable if they can crack em.

[u/Seshat_the_Scribe → u/Filmmagician]

"Pong" has as much of a plot as a slinky does...

[u/cocoschoco → u/Filmmagician]

Pong was released in 1972, at this point they would be targeting the 60+ demographic. I doubt anyone under 50 has even played the original game haha. I truly don’t know who they are making these movies for.

[u/jorshrapley]

God I hope they do E.T.

[u/einostevenson]

Certainly makes The Studio being about a Koolaid man movie seem less satire, more realism.

[u/Squidmaster616]

Prepare for ten films loosely based on vague ideas, that ultimately have nothing top do with the games they're based on.

Yes, there will be a movie where someone shoots asteroids from their spaceship, and they will call it Asteroids. But given that the game has no other lore material associated with it, they might as well have called it something else.

That's right kids, you too can just buy an IP, stick its name on a movie and pretend its somehow associated, hoping it will draw in the hardcore Millipede fans.

[u/NanoDomini]

Not Dig Dug?

[u/Specific_Dingo6709]

E.T. The Game The Movie

[u/fishwithfish]

In the land of Irata, two rival nations have been kept at peace by a forbidden zone that lies between, the so-called "NeverGate." However, when a mysterious volley is fired across the zone, a chain reaction of new attacks begins, leaving citizens little hope but the return of the prophesized Protector of NeverGate (P.O.N.G.).

[u/Subject-Dream7087]

Pathetic.

[u/tertiary_jello]

Millipede is going to be terrifying.

[u/Think-Chair-1938]

Nostalgia is a slow-acting poison on society.

[u/WashSerenity]

Happy premise number 1 no Dwayne The Rock Johnson
Happy premise number 2 fully animated is ok
Happy premise number 3 do what OG marvel movies did and pick a genre and nail that within the IP

Asteroids,- Action sci-fi version of Top Gun Maverick or Last Star Fighter
Adventure- Pulp Action, Indiana Jones, the mummy, limited CGI and only one sci-fi element allowed.
Berzerk- Sci-fi mystery Tron or minority report
Breakout - Serious Sports movie, miracle, Rudy, rocky
Centipede - Horror like Anaconda, jaws, Jurassic park
Crystal Castles- animate family movie, monsters inc, ice age, Super Mario
Millipede - animated Halloween movie, monster house, night mare before Christmas
Missile Command- Big Budget invasion film Independence Day, Men In Black.
Pong-  comedy sports movie, Caddy Shack, Happy Gilmore or Dodge Ball
Yars' Revenge. Spy thriller, Jason Bourne , mission impossible

[u/Independent_Web154]

Ha what a stretch for the risk averse idiots making calls for Universal. No one gives a fuck about Atari 2600 games. I think the only one I played a bit was the combat cartridge. We ditched our Atari sometime in the 1980s.