$117m Tetris movie merely the first of a trilogy

A new movie based on the video game Tetris is in the works.

A deal has been struck to produce a live-action Tetris movie in 2017, according to Deadline.

The US-China co-production will cost US$80 million (NZ$117 million) to produce, and is said to be seen as the first instalment in a trilogy.

The film will be produced by True Lies and Mortal Kombat executive producer Larry Kasanoff, of Threshold Entertainment Group, and Bruno Wu, or Seven Star Works.

Kasanoff is currently shopping the project to sales agents at the Cannes Film Market.

The sci-fi film is "not at all what you think," says Kasanoff; "it will be a cool surprise."

Threshold first announced the project two years ago, at which time Kasanoff claimed "what you see in Tetris is the teeny tip of an iceberg that has intergalactic significance."

It comes amidst a spate of recent and upcoming game adaptations, like The Angry Birds Movie, Warcraft, Assassin's Creed, and Tomb Raider.

Tetris itself was released 32 years ago, and its falling-blocks gameplay is among the most recognisable - and least cinematic - in video gaming.

- gameplanet.co.nz