Atari Signs Deal With Universal for 10 Game Adaptations, Including Pong and Asteroids

Atari and Universal Pictures have signed a deal covering movie adaptation rights to 10 classic Atari properties. One film is already in active development, though Universal hasn't confirmed which game is getting adapted first.

Atari CEO Wade Rosen confirmed the deal, and Deadline got hold of the full list: Asteroids, Adventure, Berzerk, Breakout, Centipede, Crystal Castles, Millipede, Missile Command, Yars' Revenge, and Pong. The first film will be produced by Entertainment 360's Guymon Casady, with the screenplay written by Matt Reilly and Carl Hampe. Rosen called it a chance to bring "the spirit of our iconic brand and games to a new medium" after more than five decades in popular culture.

Atari's ownership history adds an interesting wrinkle here. The company is now Atari SA — formerly Infogrames — which means the studio's portfolio extends well beyond the arcade classics in this deal. Properties like RollerCoaster Tycoon, System Shock, and even Bubsy technically sit under the same roof, leaving the door open for stranger adaptations down the line. The video game movie genre has had a rough track record historically, but recent hits like the Super Mario Bros. Movie and the Sonic franchise have shown there's real box office appetite for game-based films — even ones built on thin premises.

For now, the identity of the first Atari film remains under wraps. Given that the script is already being written, an announcement probably isn't far off. Whether Universal lands on something with obvious cinematic potential like Asteroids or swings for the surreal with Pong, the project will be one to watch.