Movies Pac-Man getting his own live-action movie, Hollywood officially out of ideas This, of course, begs the question: When is the Ms. Pac-Man movie? By Lester Fabian Brathwaite Lester Fabian Brathwaite Lester Fabian Brathwaite is a staff writer at Entertainment Weekly, where he covers breaking news, all things Real Housewives, and a rich cornucopia of popular culture. Formerly a senior editor at Out magazine, his work has appeared on NewNowNext, Queerty, Rolling Stone, and The New Yorker. He was also the first author signed to Phoebe Robinson's Tiny Reparations imprint. He met Oprah once. EW's editorial guidelines Published on August 8, 2022 05:16PM EDT COVID. Monkeypox. Pac-Man Fever? We sure are living in some strange times and they're about to get stranger now that Pac-Man, the beloved video game that's been chomping up fans since 1980, is getting his own live-action movie. A joint venture between Wayfarer Studios and Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc., the film is based on an idea by producer Chuck Williams, one of the minds behind 2020's Sonic the Hedgehog, which, unlike many failed adaptations, proved that video game nostalgia can actually make money. Pac-Man, future movie star. NAMCO BANDAI But at least Sonic has, like, a backstory and a clear mission statement: stack coins and defeat Dr. Robotnik. Maybe there's a princess involved, too? Whatever. While the adventures of a circle with a big mouth may not seem like the most compelling of narratives, Pac-Man has made the leap from arcade to screen before. Running from 1982-83, Hanna-Barbera's Pac-Man was the first cartoon based on a video game. The P-M Fever was scorching in late '82 when it was the highest-rated Saturday morning cartoon, spawning both a Halloween and a Christmas special that year. Disney XD then revived the gobbling globe in 2013 for the CGI series Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures. There have also been multiple attempts to bring Pac-Man to the big screen since the blockbuster Ms. Pac-Man game came out in 1982, with plans for a live-action adaptation going back to at least 2008. Which just goes to show you how far persistence and a billion-dollar video game franchise can take you. Not much else is known about the upcoming Pac-Man movie, but maybe we'll finally get to delve into the story behind the... man? Is Pac-Man actually a man? And what's his gripe with ghosts? And if Ms. Pac-Man is his wife, why isn't she Mrs. Pac-Man? Will Chris Pratt also be voicing this iconic '80s video game protagonist? These questions demand answers! Related content: Pac-Man turns 35: Looking back on three-plus decades of video games, pop culture, and cereal Uncharted territory: Inside the 14-year mission to break a video game movie curse The 5 best video games of 2021 Mama mia: Chris Pratt is voicing Mario in the Super Mario Bros. movie