It was released in 1979, featured monochrome vector graphics and had no plot or back-story. Yet Universal has just secured the movie rights to Atari's arcade mega-hit, Asteroids - apparently after a four-studio bidding war. According to Reuters, Matt Lopez, veteran of Race to Witch Mountain, will pen the 'script'.
This is, of course, only the latest in a recent spate of bizarre licensing announcements. Films based on seventies toy Stretch Armstrong, classic boardgame Monopoly, bubble gum character Bazooka Joe, and pen-and-paper timewaster, Battleships, are all in various states of production. With rumours currently floating about that a film based on the Viewmaster children's toy is also being planned, it seems no piece of nostalgic ephemera is safe from the Hollywood machine.
So which golden age videogames do you think should be next in line to receive movie immortalisation, and who would star and direct?
Here are three to get you started...
Tempest, 1980
In a universe of vector-based infinite space tunnels, experience a journey like no other. Dennis Quaid is the embittered space pilot sent on a desperate suicide mission to save vector-based humanity. Darren Aronofsky directs.
Frogger, 1981
In a world of traffic chaos and natural disaster, why did the frog cross the road? From Pixar Studios comes this heartrending tale of a little critter with a big problem: making his way home over a five-lane highway and an alligator infested swamp. This touching eco-drama features the voice talent of Jack Black as the plucky amphibian hero and Morgan Freeman as the diving turtle.
Q*Bert, 1982
In a world of cube-based pyramid structures, only Q*Bert can change the colours and defeat the forces of evil. Directed by the Wachowski Brothers, with Zac Efron as the fluff-covered bipedal hero.
