Thundercade

It looks like Lakeshore entertainment has picked up the rights to Thundercade a film about lost titles and the road to regaining victory. We get word of this project thanks to the professionals at Variety:

Lakeshore Entertainment has scooped up Ernie Cline’s vidgame-themed spec “Thundercade.” Story centers on a videogame junkie who faces a midlife crisis when he discovers a young punk has beaten the world record he has held since his teens. Determined to reclaim his place in gaming history, he and two friends escape their 9-to-5 lives for a shot to win Thundercade, the world’s ultimate gaming championship.

Cline is a self-described vidgame addict who owns six different game consoles. “Having spent countless hours playing Xbox with my nephew and listening to him trash-talk me, I fell in love with the idea of pitting older classic arcade-era gamers from the ’80s against teenagers — the Atari 2600 generation vs. the Xbox 360 generation,” he said.

This story of arcade rivalry reminds me of King Of Kong, but instead of two men battling it out, it’s man vs. teen. Video game competition is as intense as any and has broad appeal for storytelling. Video games stormed onto the scene and have never let up. What was thought to be a passing childhood fad has retained enthusiasts well into adulthood. Video games are a big part of our lives and almost every home has a system, and for good reason - they rule.

As a video game enthusiast I love the sound of this one and am interested in further news about the project. No one is happy when their title is taken, and a story about a fallen champion’s desire to regain his place in history is a timeless tale indeed. Thundercade brings up memories of Thunderdome where two men enter, one man leaves. Perhaps the championship will be an elimination style tournament - I would welcome that format, as it makes for excellent cinema magic.