Universal Pictures to film ten Atari classics

Universal Pictures has secured the rights to develop feature films based on ten classic Atari video games, according to an announcement on July 23, 2026. The multi-picture deal, brokered in partnership with production and management company Entertainment 360, aims to transform the iconic but minimalist arcade and console titles into large-scale action-adventure movies.

The slate of games includes Asteroids, Adventure, Berzerk, Breakout, Centipede, Crystal Castles, Millipede, Missile Command, Pong, and Yars' Revenge. These properties, many of which date back to the late 1970s and early 1980s, are known more for simple gameplay and pixelated graphics than for narrative depth, presenting a unique creative challenge for adaptation.

The partnership has already yielded its first concrete project. Universal has purchased a spec script written by screenwriters Matt Reilly and Carl Hampe, whose previous credits include "Jungle Cruise" and "Hellboy." The screenplay focuses on one of the ten Atari titles, though officials have not disclosed which game will be first to enter production. Guymon Casady of Entertainment 360, who will produce the initial film, praised the writers' approach. He...