One of the more, “What the hell are they thinking?!” pieces of news that has come out in recent months was that they are developing a big-screen adaptation of the classic arcade game, Asteroids. It’s just one of many classic properties set to be given the movie treatment, but also one of the most miffing as to why they’re even doing it.
Just what the heck is this going to be about?!
Well IGN recently spoke with producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura (Transformers, G.I. Joe) who attempts to explain the direction they’re taking the Asteroids movie. “But it’s just a small triangle that shoots space rocks,” I hear you say. Well, not according to the producer:
“It’s funny because people say there’s nothing in the game, but that’s not entirely right… I was attracted to Asteroids, plain and simple, because I think what it tells you is that there’s going to be this big thing in space.”
“We’ve crafted a really strong, deep mythology for the thing. Without divulging too much about it, it’s two lead characters – two brothers – who have to go through a seminal experience to figure out their relationship, against this huge backdrop.”
Uh… okay then…
Bonaventura also notes that the “point and shoot” gameplay of the original Asteroids game will be kept firmly in mind for the movie – “Well you’d better have some guys in spaceships blowing stuff up or else you haven’t honored the fun of Asteroids.”
They managed to “craft a really strong, deep mythology,” out of Asteroids? Bonaventura is thinking of the same Atari arcade game all of us are, isn’t he? I’m not exactly sure what the seminal experience is that’s been conjured for two unnamed brothers to go through, but it’s not the type of plot that pops into my mind when a movie based on Asteroids was first mentioned (I could only get as far as the generic “destroy the asteroids before it destroys Earth” storyline).
I said it when the Asteroids movie news first came along, but a positive to be found here is that at least they have an almost total blank slate to create any story they want out of the game (which, by the producer’s description, that’s exactly what they’re doing) with no already established story to ruin. And at least it sounds like they’re making some sort of effort to come up with something different, or at least something that wasn’t expected.
What do you make of the plot description given of the Asteroids movie?
Asteroids is currently in the early development stages and doesn’t have a release date as of yet.
Sources: IGN via FirstShowing
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