Atari Universal Sign Multi-Picture Deal For Atari Games
Universal Pictures has signed a deal with Atari and Entertainment 360 to develop ten classic Atari video game properties into feature films, with Universal holding the first-look rights. The lineup of games slated for adaptation includes Asteroids, Adventure, Berzerk, Breakout, Centipede, Crystal Castles, Millipede, Missile Command, Pong, and Yars’ Revenge. A first project will come from an original screenplay by Matt Reilly and Carl Hampe, produced by Entertainment 360’s Guymon Casady. Atari chairman Wade Rosen said the partnership aims to bring the spirit of the iconic brand to a new medium. The films are described as big-scale action-adventure fare, though some games may not naturally fit the genre, leaving room for alternative formats such as documentary-style takes on Pong. The deal signals a broader push to revive classic games on the big screen, potentially with each property receiving its own film or forming part of a larger Atari cinematic saga.