According to Slash Film, Paramount has secured the rights to an upcoming film starring Leonardo DiCaprio as freewheelin' gaming impresario Nolan Bushnell. Screenwriters Brian Hecker and Craig Sherman hope to incorporate elements from Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Tucker.
Bushnell was responsible for Pong, often credited as the first video game ever (untrue, but it was the first game to acheive widespread popularity among the general public). Bushnell went on to found Atari and Chuck E. Cheese. Now he's working on a restaurant franchise called uWink, a sort of Chuck E. Cheese for grown ups, where you place your order and play games on your table's touchscreen.
I recently watched King of Kong, a fascinating glimpse inside the world of competitive gaming, which focused on a few dudes shooting for the Donkey Kong high score. The movie was riveting becaue it showcased these super-nerds oozing hubris in a world commonly percieved as childish. These guys see themselves as Greco-Roman gladiators sparring under Nero. Nerds in the limelight are hilarious.
That's why I have high hopes for this movie. Bushnell is renowned for his flamboyant personality and for being, well, kind of a dick. Plus, his illustrious career is pockmarked with scandal, finger-pointing, ill-conceived flops and bankruptcy. I'm seeing the Boogie Nights of gaming, here.