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Tetris has had a presence on almost every video game console since it was first introduced in the 1980s, but the story behind the game is one of guns, espionage, and high-speed car chases, according to Apple’s upcoming adaptation.
A trailer for Tetris, which details how American video game salesman Henk Rogers (played by a gloriously mustached Taron Egerton) managed to secure the global distribution rights for the game, which was originally created by Soviet software engineer Alexey Pajitnov in 1984.
Tetris was a global hit when it eventually escaped the Iron Curtain of Russia, thanks to its accessible gameplay, catchy soundtrack, and striking design. As seen in the trailer, it was packaged with Nintendo’s original Game Boy, a move that helped the handheld console sell millions of units around the world and make suppliers of AA batteries very happy in the process.
A lot of wheeling and dealing was done behind the scenes, and while Apple’s film likely embellishes some details for dramatic effect–like KGB goons on the warpath–the legal battle behind the game still makes for fascinating reading.
This isn’t the first time that Tetris has been featured in a film either, as the game had a big role in Adam Sandler’s Pixels back in 2015. At one point, an “epic sci-fi” film adaptation of Tetris was announced in 2018, but since then, that project faded into obscurity. Apple’s Tetris movie will debut on March 31, and also stars Nikita Efremov and Toby Jones.
