There is a trilogy of 'Tetris' movies in production (yes, really)

If I were asked to name a perfect video game, Tetris might be the only candidate in my mind. Since its creation by Russian game designer Alexey Pajitnov in 1984, little has been done to "improve" on the block-stacking formula, yet it still holds up and is played by many today.

But if you were to ask me what video games are ripe for film adaptations, Tetris probably wouldn't be on my list at all.

That's not stopping a joint China-U.S. venture from making a film based on the hit puzzle game series, which Deadline reports will probably have a budget of $80 million.

"The project is eyed as an $80 million China-U.S. co-production under Threshold Global Studios, a new banner formed by Bruno Wu and producer Larry Kasanoff," Deadline says. "The product of a team-up between Kasanoff's Threshold Entertainment Group and Wu's Seven Star Works, it will develop and finance film projects for the global market and will release inaugural effort Tetris The Movie in China. Mortal Kombat producer Kasanoff is in Cannes speaking with international sales agents."

They say that the team has been working with The Tetris Company for the past year, and that the film will be a "sci-fi thriller" that is planned as the first movie in a trilogy. Kasanoff says that it is, "not at all what you think; it will be a cool surprise."

So... Aliens? Yeah, the plot will probably involve probably aliens.

Sorry, I'm getting flashbacks to Pixels, which I thought was misguided enough for a video game movie. I don't really need something else in that same vein.

I don't want to be quick to judge a film (or series of films) before they've even started filming, but it's unfortunate that we're getting a sci-fi Tetris movie that probably won't resemble the games in any way, shape or form rather than a movie about the game. Say, a biopic about its interesting roots in Russia.

I mean, at least Angry Birds, which is getting a movie this month, has colorful characters and some semblance of a plot to draw from. At least Battleship had, uh... ships? Tetris just has blocks.

Anyway, the first movie will likely start filming in China, with a Chinese cast, in 2017. In the meantime, if you want to watch something cool about Tetris, the documentary Ecstasy of Order (which is a bit like King of Kong, but with Tetris) is fantastic.