Video game movie adaptations have come a long way, and are no longer a stain on Hollywood, but the news of this particular video game coming to the big screen is interesting to say the least.
Variety is exclusively reporting that Tongal, the creative-driven studio and platform behind Pharrell’s LEGO-inspired biopic, Piece By Piece, is developing a film based on the 80s iconic football video game from Koei Tecmo, Tecmo Bowl.
Yup, you read that correctly.
Tongal, which has worked with Netflix, Pokémon, NBC Universal, and The LEGO Group, will call on its community of 16,000 creators to “reimagine the beloved classic as a movie” that will “combine live action with animated gameplay sequences inspired by the original ‘Tecmo Bowl.’”
Word?
In a statement, Tongal said Tecmo Bowl “will be developed with Tongal’s creator community, who will contribute and execute original ideas to reimagine the legendary football game’s IP for a new era. By blending the game’s distinct original animation sequences with live production, the film will capture Tecmo Bowl’s nostalgic charm with a fresh, modern approach fueled by creators around the world.”
The Greatest Cyber Athlete of All-Time Will Be In The Tecmo Bowl Movie
The film already has one cast member: the first great cyber athlete and someone who couldn’t even be tackled in the game, Bo Jackson, and will ask its creators to pitch ideas for bringing the film to life.
Per Variety:
Tongal’s first open project tied to the film invites animators to pitch their take on how to transform the game’s original characters from their 8-bit origins into 3D, with the first character being former Raiders star Bo Jackson. The link to submit is now open on Tongal’s website.
We’re intrigued, yet confused, about why this particular game is the one they want to adapt into a film, and we are not alone in that feeling.
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