Back in March last year, word hit the news radar that Warner Bros.was working with the likes of Paranormal Activity’s Jason Blum and The Day After Tomorrow’s Mark Gordon) to snatch the rights to classic arcade title Space Invaders. Well, now it looks like it slipped from their grasp as the Heat Vision blog reports that Transformers**’ Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Odd Lot Entertainment’s Gig Pritzker are now the ones slotting coins into the film to advance its development.
Yes, between this and his involvement with Five Against a Bullet,it’s clearly been decided that today is di Bonaventura day. But he’s definitely on board Invaders, having snapped up the rights and started the search for a willing writing to come up with a killer idea.
Even those who are too young to remember the 1978 game* likely know the basic concept of this one – and it is basic. You move a blocky little tank-type vehicle behind protective buildings while firing up at lines of equally blocky alien ships that advance down and move faster as they descend.
It’s easy to see why the producers would be dashing to get this one optioned and developed – you can essentially bolt on any high concept alien invasion idea and nab the name recognition factor. That, however, does not serve to make it any less depressing…
*We’d like you off our lawns this instant, you bunch of sext-crazy whippersnappers!