Deadline is reporting that New Line is creating a Space Invaders movie, to be written by Greg Russo (the man behind the upcoming Mortal Kombat and Resident Evil reboots). The movie will be based on the ultra-popular video game from the late 70s/early 80s that tasked players with shooting down endless waves of blocky alien hordes. It was a revolutionary game, beyond addictive and a cultural touchstone.
But I’m almost positive that we’ve already seen a Space Invaders movie, right? Practically every video game in human history has been adapted into a movie already and you’re telling me that Space Invaders wasn’t one of them? I know that Adam Sandler atrocity Pixels included a very retro feel but that’s not what I’m thinking of. There’s been a Space Invaders movie already, I would bet the family farm on it.
Okay, okay, there hasn’t been a movie based on this video game yet but the fact that I can’t remember if it’s happened or not just shows how basic and, honestly, boring the idea of a Space Invaders movie sounds. Obviously New Line and Russo could take great liberties with the source material and create something that feels different and new but my fear is that this will be an alien invasion film that feels about as plain as the game its based on. It’s as though New Line is making a Space Invaders movie because its a well-known property that hasn’t been translated to the big screen yet. It’s not a story dying to be told. Hell, it’s not a story at all. But it’s about aliens, it’s based on a retro game and it could make a couple hundred million so they’re going to give it a go. Necessary? No. Unique? No. Happening regardless? Yes.
Much like a fearful human civilization accepting their new alien overlords, I must accept the fact that we have reached the point when every retro video game will be adapted into a movie even if the general plot of the game feels tired and overdone. I can complain about how generic this idea feels like but I need to just come to terms with fate. Space Invaders is happening and resistance is futile.