Archive notice: This article was originally published on July 22, 2014. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
The film "Pixels" is scheduled to open in German cinemas on May 14 next year. Sony Pictures has to cooperate with a whole series of game companies for it, as Adam Sandler has to contend with all kinds of cult characters from famous arcade games – Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Centipede, Frogger, Q*bert, and the Space Invaders.
The plot: In "Pixels", intergalactic aliens interpret video feeds of classic arcade games as a declaration of war. They attack Earth – and use the games as templates for their attacks. President Will Cooper (Kevin James) has no choice but to ask his childhood best friend and 1980s video-game champion, Sam Brenner (Adam Sandler), for help. Now a home-theater installer, he must lead a team of old-school arcade players to defeat the aliens and save the world. Michelle Monaghan plays the team’s unique weapons specialist.
The film’s plot is based on the short film "Pixels" of the same name. Supinfocom graduate Patrick Jean also received an animago AWARD for it in 2010 – alongside numerous other prizes – in the category then known as "Best Technical Realization". At the time, the short film passed the million mark within a few hours, and Adam Sandler’s production company Happy Madison soon secured the rights. Jean is contributing to the story of the new big-budget feature-length version and is also acting as an executive producer.
And in case anyone is heading to Comic-Con in San Diego: Sony Pictures is presenting a "Pixels Electric Dreams Factory Arcade" at the Hard Rock Hotel. From July 24 to 27, visitors can play many arcade classics themselves.
Here once again is the short film "Pixels".
