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| Tecmo Bowl’s NES release helped define early video game football and remains one of the genre’s most recognizable classics. |
By Juli Scarr
A movie based on Tecmo Bowl is officially in development. Creator-driven studio Tongal is working on a feature film inspired by the classic football game, according to a new report from Variety.
Tongal, which has previously collaborated with Netflix, LEGO, and Pokémon, says the project will combine live-action storytelling with animated gameplay sequences inspired by the original Tecmo Bowl. The studio plans to develop the film in collaboration with its community of more than 160,000 creatives, using an open submission model to help shape how the game is adapted for the screen.
First released in arcades in 1987 and later on the NES in 1989, Tecmo Bowl played a major role in introducing video game football to a wider audience. Its simplified presentation and exaggerated animations helped it stand out at the time, while real-world players like Bo Jackson, Joe Montana, and Lawrence Taylor made the game instantly recognizable to fans.
A Creator-Driven Approach to Adapting Tecmo Bowl
According to Tongal, the movie will draw directly from that legacy by blending the game’s original visual style with modern production. The goal is to preserve the personality of Tecmo Bowl while reworking it in a way that fits a feature-length format.
As part of the project, Tongal has launched its first open creative call tied to the film. Animators are being invited to pitch their interpretation of how Tecmo Bowl’s 8-bit characters could be translated into 3D, starting with Bo Jackson. Submissions are now open through Tongal’s platform.
The Tecmo Bowl film also reflects Tongal’s broader move into original film and series development. The studio recently worked with Focus Features, LEGO, and Pharrell Williams’ production company I Am Other on the animated biopic Piece by Piece, directed by Morgan Neville. Going forward, Tongal says it plans to continue securing rights to recognizable properties and developing them through its creator-driven approach.
Tongal CEO and co-founder James DeJulio said the project is rooted in personal experience with the game and a desire to explore new ways of developing films. By involving independent creators early in the process, the studio hopes to rethink how familiar game properties are adapted for modern audiences.
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