Pac-Man was originally developed by Namco called Puck Man as an arcade game. It quickly became popular and was later ported to various home game consoles of the time. It sold over 6 million copies at that time. Because of its success, the game spawned a franchise that included numerous sequels and spin-off video games, as well as two television series.
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Although video games have been converted into movies by Hollywood for decades, the endeavor has only sometimes been deemed successful. Critics and viewers alike ridiculed early adaptations of games like Super Mario Bros., Double Dragon, and Street Fighter. However, studios have continued to mine the multi-billion dollar video game industry for inspiration over the years.
After numerous failed attempts with flops like Hitman: Agent 47, Warcraft, and Assassin’s Creed, Hollywood finally succeeded with the live-action Sonic the Hedgehog adaptation. Following its success, other video game adaptations, including Uncharted, Ghosts of Tsushima, Streets of Rage, and The Last of Us, have been greenlit by Hollywood studios.
Pac-Man gets a live-action film
Now, Pac-Man is announced to be receiving the live-action film treatment. According to THR, the upcoming film will be based on an original concept created by Chuck Williams. Manu Gargi, Andrew Calof, and Jane the Virgin star Justin Baldoni will produce for Wayfarer Studios. And Williams and Tim Kwok will produce for Lightbeam Entertainment. No specific story details or cast announcements were made.
Recent popular video game adaptations, such as Sonic the Hedgehog and Detective Pikachu, demonstrate that a successful live-action film based on anthropomorphic non-human characters is possible. With Sonic the Hedgehog 2 grossing more than $400 million at the box office and a sequel as well as a television series based on Knuckles in the works, the precedent has shown us that such adaptations are not only possible but profitable. Pac-Man is set to carry on the tradition by incorporating the titular character, as well as the equally popular ghosts, into a live-action story.
