A live-action film is in development based on the classic arcade game with endless appetites, Pac-Man.
The project comes from Bandai Namco Entertainment – the company behind Pac-Man, as well as games like Galaga and Tekken – and Wayfarer Studios, the production company founded by Justin Baldoni and Steve Sarowitz.
First introduced in the US in 1980 — and originally called Puck Man in Japan — Pac-Man has become a coin-operated staple. The game is set in mazes where Pac-Man has to eat pellets while being pursued by colorful ghosts as the mazes become progressively more difficult.
The game spawned merchandise, several sequels such as Ms. Pac-Man, as well as two television series including an ABC series produced by Hanna-Barbera and a Disney XD recording.
The project is based on an original idea by Lightbeam Entertainment’s Chuck Williams (Sonic the Hedgehog). Baldoni, Manu Gargi and Andrew Calof will produce for Wayfarer Studios; Williams and Tim Kwok will produce for Lightbeam.
Wayfarer, which recently announced a $125 million investment from Sarowtiz for expanded production growth, was behind the Disney+ feature Cloud. The upcoming list includes football drama The Senior and coming-of-age dramedy Empire Waist.