Apple is turning classic video game The Oregon Trail into a comedy movie
In brief: Apple has reportedly given the green light to turn the iconic video game The Oregon Trail into a big-budget film that will not only be a comedy but also a musical. It’s a move that’s sure to delight a certain generation.
The project, which is still in early development, was just pitched and approved by Apple, according to a report from The Hollywood Reporter. Will Speck and Josh Gordon, the director duo behind comedies like Blades of Glory and Office Christmas Party, are on board to direct and produce this unique take. If their past work is any indication, expect anything but a gritty historical drama.
Beyond comedy, the adaptation will also be a musical in part. The report indicates it will feature “a couple of original musical numbers in the vein of Barbie.” The songwriting team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, fresh off an Emmy win for Only Murders in the Building, is lending its talents for the film’s original tunes. On the writing side, the screenplay duties fall to Kenneth and Keith Lucas, who were Oscar-nominated for the 2021 drama Judas and the Black Messiah.
As for who will be starring in this film, casting details are still tightly under wraps. But given Apple’s deep pockets, you can likely expect at least a few big-name stars on the list.
A release date is also unannounced, but the film will likely make its debut on Apple’s streaming platform Apple TV+ when it eventually rolls out. An adaptation of a nostalgic video game feels like the perfect kind of content for a tech giant to produce.
For those who didn’t spend hours of their youth desperately trying to avoid contracting virtual dysentery, The Oregon Trail series was one of the earliest and most influential educational computer games. It was first created in 1971 by student developers and went on to become a cultural phenomenon in schools across America by the 90s – introducing an entire generation to the quirky tragedies that could befall 19th-century pioneers via addictively simple gameplay.
The game tasked players with leading a wagon party along the grueling Oregon Trail, making difficult decisions that could lead to storylines laced with broken bones, crossing rivers, hunting for food, and yes, plenty of nasty bouts of dysentery. Some of it was morbid stuff, but it was presented with such silly graphics that it became endearing in its own weird way.
Image credit: oregontrail.ws
