Back in my day, Konami released a difficult-AF-video game called Contra. For me, it was the talk of all the lunch tables in my elementary school cafeteria. While munching on pizza slices that would make Ellio's taste like a direct-from-Ray's Original-slice, the boys and girls of my class would shout their Contra exploits with glee, eager to know how long their classmates had survived while playing the frantic shooter.
Now, Konami Digital Entertainment has brightened every gamers Thursday afternoon with the announcement that CONTRA is set to be adapted into both a live-action feature film as well as a television series. Some may recall that the film project was first revealed earlier this year, and China Film Insider (courtesy of Kotaku) has the official synopsis for that project:
In 1988, a huge meteorite lands on an uninhabited island in the South China Sea.
Chen Qiang and Li Zhiyong investigate but come up empty handed. 29 years later, Chen sends commandos Bill and Lance into a combat mission there to neutralize the villainous Red Falcon Organization, but end up facing a different enemy altogether.
Released in 1987, Contra went on to become a world famous action/shooter both in the arcade as well as on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Since that time, twelve sequels have been released that find the game's protagonists infiltrating futuristic architecture while hoping to stave off an oncoming invasion from aliens and super soldiers alike . Fun Fact: The title's main characters, Bill Rizer and Lance Bean were modeled after action film legends Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone.
Another Fun Fact: There's even a kick ass instrumental tune inspired by Contra's famous "Konami Code" called "U, U, D, D, L, R, L, R, A, B, Select, Start" as performed by the Deftones.
More details about the production of both projects is set to be announced at a later date.