Entertainment has officially entered the era of exceptional video game adaptations on the screen. Along with the likes of Sonic the Hedgehog and its sequel in cinema, The Last of Us has been a critical sensation on television. Now, Hollywood executives are desperately scrambling to find the next game to turn into a live offering.
Space Invaders is one of the world’s most legendary and influential games, and it helped kickstart the gaming industry. There has long been talk of a silver-screen version of the classic arcade offering, but it hasn’t come to fruition yet. According to some reports, it could be in the pipeline soon.
What do we Know About the Space Invaders Movie?
In a recent report from Film Stories, it stated that Warner Bros is still working on Space Invaders after having bought the rights to make the movie back in 2014. Since then, the picture has supposedly been in development, but things have been going incredibly slowly with various obstacles.
In 2019, the production company finally announced that Greg Russo would be writing a draft of the screenplay. This was promising news, as the filmmaker has already been responsible for one successful video game adaptation. This was Mortal Kombat in 2021. Rumors suggest that many members of the same crew that made the fighting title are working on Space Invaders together.
There’s a lot of uncertainty about how exactly the movie could play out on screen, though. The game itself was one of the earliest arcade offerings, released in 1978. The aim of the title was for players to defeat waves of approaching alien spaceships. It got progressively harder as the game went on. The question is, would a movie opt for a similar format? If so, it may be hard to stretch this premise out for 90 minutes or longer.
A Film Could Bring the Franchise Back Into the Mainstream
After the box office success of the recent Sonic movies, there’s a strong chance that another retro adaptation like Space Invaders could be a hit. There’s a lot working in its favor, with the game itself still being prevalent in popular culture.
Since the rise of nostalgic gaming cafes, many modern players have been able to experience Space Invaders in their arcade form. It has also made the transition to modern platforms in numerous ways. For instance, on mobile, players can access Space Invaders from TAITO Corporation, and it has similar mechanics to the classic game. There’s also the Space Invaders slot at the safe PlayStar Casino. It’s a reel-spinning game from Inspired, which also has elements of the legendary title from the late 1970s. It’s designed to appeal to modern players as well as older ones who seek retro thrills.
If the new Space Invaders is well received critically, these marketing channels could help boost its success further. This could even bring about new versions of the game for today’s consoles. An example of this was the release of Sonic Frontiers and Sonic Origins soon after the live-action films found success. Both games were praised, with IGN awarding Frontiers a solid 7/10.
With video game adaptations all the rage in cinema, it only seems like a matter of time before they make Space Invaders. A silver screen offering could bring the franchise right back into the mainstream.
