Universal Pictures Is Turning 10 Iconic Atari Games Into Movies in a New Studio Partnership
An original spec script for the first undisclosed title has already been acquired.
Summary
Universal Pictures has entered a partnership with Atari and Entertainment 360 to develop feature films based on 10 classic video game properties
The deal includes legendary titles such as Pong, Asteroids, Centipede and Missile Command
Producer Guymon Casady and writers Matt Reilly and Carl Hampe are attached to lead the creative development of the upcoming large-scale action adventures
Hollywood continues to mine the video game industry for blockbuster inspiration. Universal Pictures has officially secured the film adaptation rights for a slate of ten iconic Atari properties in a sprawling new partnership. The gaming brand is teaming up with production company Entertainment 360 to bring these foundational pixelated worlds to the big screen.
The agreement covers a nostalgic lineup of arcade and console legends. The selected titles slated for cinematic reimagining include Asteroids, Adventure, Berzerk, Breakout, Centipede, Crystal Castles, Millipede, Missile Command, Pong and Yars’ Revenge. These foundational releases shaped early interactive entertainment and now offer blank canvases for major theatrical treatments. The studio previously acquired the rights to an asteroid-themed adaptation back in 2009 but that project never materialized.
Kickstarting the current collaboration is an original spec script already acquired by the studio. Penned by former executive Matt Reilly alongside writer Carl Hampe, the screenplay centers on one of the ten classic titles. The specific game remains under wraps for now. Both scribes will also serve as producers on the upcoming feature. Hampe brings blockbuster experience to the table having previously worked on high-profile action projects.
Entertainment 360 producer Guymon Casady is leading the creative charge for the new venture. He highlighted the imaginative spirit of early gaming as the core foundation for building an original and large-scale action adventure. Atari Chairman and CEO Wade Rosen expressed similar enthusiasm about bringing the legacy library into a completely new medium. He noted that the company has created worlds that remain culturally relevant more than five decades after their initial release.
This expansive deal signals a broader industry trend of transforming vintage video game intellectual property into expansive cinematic universes. Following massive box office wins for recent gaming adaptations, studios are eager to capture that same lucrative crossover audience. Production on the first mystery film is currently expected to begin late next year with a projected theatrical arrival in 2028.
