Today we get yet another piece of news that another classic video game is being adapted… Okay, that’s not true, but I couldn’t resist…
Actually, this isn’t news that the classic arcade game, Space Invaders, is being brought to the big-screen – it’s actually the announcement that actor-turned-screenwriter, Justin Theroux (Tropic Thunder, Iron Man 2), is on board to write a romantic comedy called Space Invader (no affiliation with the video game), with Will Arnett attached to headline.
It’s okay, you’re forgiven for assuming the worst 
…
The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that Theroux has been brought on board to pen Space Invader, which he also might direct. The film is a romantic-comedy set up at Fox, and has Arnett attached to star as a man who decides to go to space after he suspects that his long-time girlfriend, an astronaut, is cheating on him with another space-walker.
Davis Entertainment will produce Space Invader – a studio responsible for such comedy fare as The Heartbreak Kid, Norbit and Daddy Day Camp (yikes!) – along with Principato/Young. The project was originally set up at Fox Atomic, but moved over to the larger company when Atomic was shut down over six months ago.
I know the plot of Space Invader sounds like it has a high level of potential to stink up every movie theater it plays in, but Theroux has more than proven himself with his first script, last year’s Tropic Thunder. Time will tell if his being tapped to write Iron Man 2 solo when he didn’t write the first was a good idea or not. But something tells me that the studio has SOME faith in Theroux, if they allowed him to write one of their biggest upcoming movies on his own.
One quick thing I want to make note of: It’s curious they were allowed to use the title “Space Invader” because of its similarity to the arcade game of a few decades ago. I know it’s not the same name (the game is Space InvaderS), but the majority of folks will assume this comedy has at least SOMETHING to do with the arcade game. Maybe not for those, like yourselves, who read daily movie news, but the average movie goer who turns up on a Friday night and sees “whatever” will probably confuse the two.
Do you like the sound of Space Invader? Does Theroux writing and possibly even directing it affect your looking forward to it or not? Do you think the similarity of the name to the classic arcade game will be an issue?
No release date has been set for Space Invader yet.
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