Tetris movie adaptation for Apple TV+ gets first trailer

Apple TV+ has released the first trailer for Tetris, the Apple Original Film telling the wild, uncanny story of the origins and creation of the titular puzzle action game. Starring Taron Egerton as Tetris distributor Henk Rogers, and Nikita Efremov as Tetris creator Alexey Pajitnov, the film is described as a ‘Cold War-era thriller on steroids, with double-crossing villains, unlikely heroes, and a nail-biting race to the finish.’

For those who only know Tetris as the light but compulsive puzzle game, this description – and the period action depicted in the bombastic trailer – will likely come as a surprise. But as the trailer makes clear, the origins of Tetris are extremely complex. After all, its creation and publishing took place at a time when video games were still an emerging art form, and highly sought-after in the world of business.

While Apple‘s adaptation of this historic story will likely focus on heightened drama, the story of Rogers and Pajitnov is certainly a twisting tale worth adapting. In its path to success on the Nintendo Game Boy, Tetris faced numerous roadblocks, including rights issues in the Soviet Union, and a legal battle with Nintendo that eventually embroiled Soviet Union leader, Mikhail Gorbachev.

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While the game of Tetris may seem relatively simple, it has a vast history – and you can see some of this play out in the wild, over-the-top trailer for Apple‘s ambitious adaptation:

Here’s the official description of the upcoming film, per Apple:

‘Tetris tells the unbelievable story of how one of the world’s most popular video games found its way to avid players around the globe. Henk Rogers (Taron Egerton) discovers Tetris in 1988, and then risks everything by travelling to the Soviet Union, where he joins forces with inventor Alexey Pajitnov (Nikita Efremov) to bring the game to the masses.’

The film will be available exclusively on Apple TV+. The subscription service is available for AU $9.99 per month, and includes access to a library of films and TV shows, including popular hits like Ted Lasso, Severance, and Mythic Quest.