According to Deadline, the studio has partnered with Atari and Entertainment 360 to develop feature films based on 10 classic video games. Here, the titles that could soon make the jump to the big screen.
Asteroids
Source: IMDb
Released in 1979, “Asteroids” quickly became one of the defining games of the arcade era and remains one of Atari’s most influential creations. Players pilot a small spaceship through an ever growing asteroid field, blasting apart massive rocks that split into faster, smaller fragments while also fending off enemy flying saucers.
Its simple premise hid a surprisingly challenging gameplay loop that helped turn it into Atari’s best selling arcade game and inspired countless space shooters that followed.
Adventure
Long before sprawling open world adventures became the norm, “Adventure” showed just how much exploration could fit inside an Atari 2600 cartridge. Released in 1980, the game sends players on a quest to recover an enchanted chalice while navigating castles, dodging dragons, and solving simple puzzles with collectible items.
It also earned a lasting place in gaming history by hiding what is widely considered the industry’s first famous Easter egg, a secret room revealing creator Warren Robinett’s name.
Berzerk
Few early arcade games were as intense as “Berzerk,” which challenged players to survive maze like rooms filled with hostile robots while escaping an unstoppable enemy known as Evil Otto. Released in 1980, it stood out for its fast paced action and for being one of the first games to feature digitized speech, with robotic voices taunting players throughout each match.
The game became a commercial hit, inspired later classics like “Robotron: 2084,” and cemented Evil Otto as one of the era’s most memorable villains. With its sci-fi setting and relentless robot uprising, “Berzerk” already has the ingredients for a thrilling action movie.
Breakout
At first glance, “Breakout” looks deceptively simple, asking players to use a paddle to bounce a ball and smash through rows of colorful bricks. Released in 1976, the arcade hit became one of Atari’s biggest early successes and went on to inspire an entire genre of block breaking games, including “Arkanoid.”
Its development is also part of tech history, with future Apple founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak helping create an early prototype before launching their own company.
Centipede
Source: IMDb
When “Centipede” arrived in arcades in 1981, it introduced players to a fast paced battle against a giant segmented creature winding its way through a field of mushrooms. Designed by Dona Bailey and Ed Logg, the shooter became one of Atari’s biggest hits and stood out for attracting a notably broad audience, including many women at a time when arcade gaming was largely seen as male dominated.
Its colorful visuals, simple controls, and increasingly chaotic gameplay helped secure its place among the defining titles of the arcade boom. A movie adaptation could easily expand its bug filled world into a creature feature with a sci-fi twist.
Crystal Castles
Unlike most arcade hits of its era, “Crystal Castles” traded spaceships and explosions for a whimsical fantasy world starring Bentley Bear. Released in 1983, the game has players racing through colorful castles to collect gems while avoiding witches and other magical enemies across a series of maze like levels.
It also stood out for its innovative three dimensional presentation and for being one of the earliest arcade games to feature both warp zones and a proper ending.
Millipede
Building on the success of “Centipede,” Atari released “Millipede” in 1982 with faster action, more enemy types, and a greater emphasis on strategy. Players step into the role of an elf archer defending a mushroom forest from swarms of giant insects, including bees, dragonflies, spiders, earwigs, and the towering millipede itself.
The sequel expanded the original formula with power-ups, bonus rounds, and environmental hazards that made every stage increasingly unpredictable.
Missile Command
Few arcade games captured the anxieties of the Cold War quite like “Missile Command.” Released in 1980, the game challenges players to defend six cities from relentless waves of incoming missiles, creating a tense battle where survival, not victory, is the ultimate goal.
Its defensive gameplay, bleak ending, and unmistakable nuclear war theme helped make it one of Atari’s biggest hits and one of the defining arcade experiences of its era.
Pong
No Atari franchise is more iconic than “Pong,” the 1972 arcade hit that helped launch the video game industry. Inspired by table tennis, its deceptively simple concept of batting a ball back and forth became the first major commercial success in gaming, paving the way for Atari’s rise and countless imitators.
The game’s cultural impact stretched far beyond arcades, influencing home consoles and earning a place in the Smithsonian Institution’s permanent collection.
Yars’ Revenge
Source: IMDb
Unlike many Atari classics, “Yars’ Revenge” featured an original science fiction universe complete with its own mythology. Released in 1982 for the Atari 2600, the game follows a fly-like alien warrior battling the mysterious Qotile by breaking through an energy shield and unleashing the devastating Zorlon Cannon.
Its unusual gameplay, memorable visual effects, and detailed backstory helped it become one of the console’s most celebrated original titles, spawning comics, sequels, and modern reimaginings.
