Given how long Hollywood has been working to inexplicably adapt old, simplistic, zeitgeist games like Pac-Man and Space Invaders, it is not entirely surprising that a Tetris movie is headed to the screen. What is surprising? That it’s taken the form of something that feels more like Confessions of a Dangerous Mind than a brick-stacking competition. Take a look: it’s the first trailer for Tetris.
Starring Taron Egerton, the film is less a story about Tetris than the story of Tetris—specifically, the Cold War-era tale of how it made it out of the former Soviet Union and into every Game Boy in the world. It’s an interesting story (here’s an hour-long primer if you want the straight facts before heading in) and this seems like a fun if a bit overblown take. If Tetris has to be the impetus for a feature film, this is probably the best way to do it. The game just doesn’t have the narrative potential of Hatris.
Tetris hits Apple TV+ March 31.
