Tongal, the creator-led studio and platform behind the Pharrell Williams film Piece by Piece, is developing a feature film based on Koei Tecmo’s classic ’80s soccer video game Tecmo Bowl.
The studio, which has developed content for brands such as Netflix, The LEGO Group, Pokémon and NBCUniversal, will work with a community of more than 160,000 creators to “reimagine beloved classics as films” and “combine live-action with animated gameplay sequences inspired by the original Tecmo Bowl.”
First released in arcades in 1987 and later on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1989, Tecmo Bowl introduced many gamers to virtual football for the first time through gameplay with digital versions of some of the most famous players of the time, including Bo Jackson, Joe Montana, and Lawrence Taylor.
According to Tongal, the “Tecmo Bowl” film was “developed in collaboration with Tongal’s creator community to deliver and execute original ideas that reimagine the legendary football game IP for a new era. By blending the game’s unique original animation sequences with live production, the film captures the nostalgic charm of Tecmo Bowl in a fresh, contemporary approach supported by creators from around the world.”
Tongal’s first open project related to the film will invite animators to pitch their ideas on how to translate the game’s original characters from their 8-bit origins to 3D. The first character is former Raiders star Bo Jackson. A link to submit has been published on the Tongal website.
This continues Tongal’s expansion into original content, with additional titles expected to roll out over the next year. Building on its recent collaboration with Focus Features, The LEGO Group, Tremolo Productions and Pharrell Williams’ production company I Am Other on Oscar winner Morgan Neville’s animated biopic Piece by Piece, Tongal is now focused on securing the rights to build a suite of premium films, series and digital assets, teaming with top creative talent who share its vision of reinventing the way movies and content are made.
“Like many kids of the ’90s, I grew up playing Tecmo Bowl with my friends, and I think this will resonate with fans and their families,” said James DeJulio, CEO and co-founder of Tongal. “We’re bringing together creator communities and cutting-edge creator platforms to reinvent the way features are developed and created. Just as we did with Piece by Piece, this is an opportunity to innovate and build a new model of storytelling – one where beloved IP is powered by the talent and ideas of independent creators around the world.”
