Leonardo DiCaprio to star in Atari founder biopic

Like something out of Bizzaro World, word on the street is that hunky dreamboat Leonardo DiCaprio will play Atari uber-nerd Nolan Bushnell in an upcoming biopic. According to reports, the film will detail Bushnell's life from his early work at amusement parks, through founding Atari and eventually building the Chuck E. Cheese's empire in a "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington meets Tucker" fashion. We understand there will be a thrilling montage where Bushnell soundly defeats every Atari staff member at Pong, then builds the first animatronic Jasper T. Jowls with spare parts from a 1976 Impala.

[duffiecochran @ Jun 8th 2008 4:31PM]

just no.

[vileta2 @ Jun 8th 2008 4:32PM]

I can't wait to see how this will turn out.

[Eh @ Jun 8th 2008 4:38PM]

I can totally see the resemblance.

[Richard Lai @ Jun 8th 2008 6:41PM]

Well, with a bit of makeup it should be fairly easy:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3098/2562790844_5cdff67daf_o.jpg

(original: http://www.starstore.com/acatalog/Z0049-Leonardo-DiCaprio--01.jpg)

[AJ in the East Bay @ Jun 8th 2008 4:42PM]

DiCaprio has become a first-rate actor and I'm sure he wouldn't take this gig if he didn't see something good in the script.

[Flashpoint @ Jun 8th 2008 5:11PM]

"first rate actor?"

When the f*** did this happen?

[salientarbiter @ Jun 8th 2008 5:17PM]

What do you mean "when did this happen?"

Titanic, Blood Diamond, Gangs of New York, The Departed, The Aviator?

He has a moviestar-hunk image, but his history of films he's appeared in shows that he's a very talented and versed actor, much like Brad Pitt (Ocean's 11 series, Fight Club, 12 Monkeys, Se7en)

[tony @ Jun 8th 2008 5:24PM]

Catch Me If You Can...

[jymmyz @ Jun 8th 2008 6:25PM]

Basketball Diaries, The Beach

[sinai @ Jun 8th 2008 6:25PM]

there's a huge difference between "taking the gig" and "producing the movie" in terms of artistic integrity.

[luzzio @ Jun 8th 2008 7:03PM]

Agreed. Leo is a terrific actor. The pretty-boy image underrates his acting prowess.

Loved his accent in Blood Diamond.

[Richy @ Jun 8th 2008 7:22PM]

@salientarbiter

Obviously you don't really mean Titanic. Anything with Celine 'Why the Long Face' Dionne can -- by definition -- not be a good film.

The rest are good. Especially the Basketball Diaries (which you inexplicably miss out).

[clak @ Jun 8th 2008 8:04PM]

I don't know what to think about Leonardo. He's a great actor, but somehow I didn't believe he could be the bad ass he portrayed in The Departed. He rocked in The Aviator, although he looked too young to be hugging up with Cate Blanchett.


As I was telling my husb—As I was telling President Bush—Condoleezza Rice

[Billy @ Jun 9th 2008 1:49AM]

Wow, surprised to see people defending Leo around these parts. Considering what the average thread around here turns into...

Too many people disregard him because he was a teenage dream boy back in the 90's. He's become a fucking fantastic actor, and it's a shame more people don't recognize it. Really, watch Blood Diamond or Catch Me If You Can, and pretend it's some new guy who didn't star in Titanic. Maybe you'll be surprised what you see.

[Sporkinum @ Jun 9th 2008 11:23AM]

Don't forget the retard he played in What's eating Gilbert Grape.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108550/
He was fantastic, along with Johnny Depp. Both before they were big.

[Warren @ Jun 8th 2008 4:49PM]

W
T
F
?

[Steve Jones @ Jun 8th 2008 5:02PM]

That is exactly what I thought when I read your reply Warren; you have used English characters but written it in a Japanese manner.

WTF indeed.

[Warren @ Jun 8th 2008 5:19PM]

Usually when WTF is written normally it implies a "What the F*ck!?"
My post was sort of a "What. The. F*ck." Written as three separate words...and not a single sentence of exclamation or confusion.

[Troels C @ Jun 8th 2008 6:02PM]

wtf?

[larrymayster @ Jun 8th 2008 9:33PM]

Whether it's written as one sentence or three words that comment still makes you sound like a dumbass.

[ReggieXuk @ Jun 8th 2008 5:03PM]

I only just read about this guy today, hes one of the few people the walk of game.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walk_of_game

[sinai @ Jun 8th 2008 5:13PM]

you were expecting McLovin?

[Billy Gun @ Jun 8th 2008 6:21PM]

LOL hahahhahahhahahaha McLovin... wold be fun..

[Rocketboy @ Jun 8th 2008 5:24PM]

If DiCaprio is involved, I wonder what the psudo-envrionmentalist message will be?

[eh @ Jun 8th 2008 5:33PM]

recycle the old game boards, or don't buy new tech.

[Neebs @ Jun 8th 2008 6:11PM]

something involving cartridges and landfills

[Rocketboy @ Jun 10th 2008 11:12AM]

Neebs.. I wasn't going to go there, there's just something about a shotgun next to a barrel of fish that I just must resist.

[Markus @ Jun 8th 2008 5:39PM]

Much the way Frank Sinatra's head went from skinny and long in his youth to short and squat, so goes Leonardo DiCaprio. It's almost as if their skulls are morph-able.

[Mindfield @ Jun 8th 2008 5:42PM]

I'm an Atari geek from way back so I'm in. I'm not sure DiCaprio was the best casting choice, but it'll be interesting to see how this turns out just the same.

[Tigerhawk @ Jun 8th 2008 5:42PM]

Well, movies like this could turn out to be pretty cool. And DiCaprio is a pretty solid actor.

The movie about Apple, Microsoft, Xerox, IBM and so forth turned out quite well in my opinion, I mean the infamous "Pirates Of Silcon Valley" is a huge favorite of mine. :)

I would love to see a movie about Commodore/Amiga as well!

And Sun Microsystems. And Cisco. And Google. And the whole environment around Linux....and, and and.......

[gm76 @ Jun 8th 2008 6:24PM]

The "Pirates of the Silicon Valley" would make a great (relatively speaking) Blu-ray Disc release if they time it's release with the Atari movie. =) Of course, I would expect the studio to at least do a decent job with the HD transfer.

[Eric @ Jun 8th 2008 6:51PM]

Cisco would be very interesting. Len and Sandy seem like they are very colorful people. Add to that accidentally falling into a business because no one else wanted to do could be a great story.

[menotbug @ Jul 11th 2008 7:17AM]

> I would love to see a movie about Commodore/Amiga as well!
Read the book that any such movie will be based on:
On the Edge: the Spectacular Rise and Fall of Commodore

[Mark @ Jun 8th 2008 6:19PM]

I have a feeling this will be written as a chick flick, more then a geek movie, if HE is in it.

[Nicolas @ Jun 8th 2008 6:34PM]

Hehe, Geek Flick ftw!

[Nate @ Jun 8th 2008 11:40PM]

Because The Departed was a chick flick right? Or Basketball Diaries? Or The Aviator? Or Blood Diamond? If you wrote this guy off after Titanic (which was also a solid movie, Celine Dion or not), you are doing yourself a major disservice.

[crow610 @ Jun 8th 2008 7:07PM]

'I'M THE KING OF PITFALL"

[Reader @ Jun 8th 2008 7:42PM]

Holy lipstick batman.

[Travis @ Jun 8th 2008 7:59PM]

DiCaprio hunky?

[Whisper450 @ Jun 8th 2008 8:46PM]

If i had to choose an actor based on ressemblance for that role, it would go to Sam Rockwell.

[Sporkinum @ Jun 9th 2008 11:29AM]

That's a pretty good observation. Not only that, Rockwell is a great actor and probably would do a great job. He just doesn't have the star power though. Zaphod for the win!

[BA @ Jun 8th 2008 9:16PM]

I remember Nolan Bushnell giving a talk at Stanford University's horseshoe ring (where you play horseshoes). I was a student and he said something that affected my life (paraphrased):

-"If you want to start a company do it now, don't wait till you have a mortgage and family responsibilities. Then it will be much harder."

I started a company a few months later and I am still doing that sort of stuff now.

Also, he said a funny story. When he sold Atari his first payment was in warrants or something like that and he put the warrants in his car's trunk, I think $6M (this was about 1986 so that was a lot), and he couldn't find them, he lost them.... Since they weren't cash they were reissued.

Anyway, he was good guy and I thank him for coming and giving that talk and having a positive affect on my life.

[alfaphlex @ Jun 8th 2008 9:28PM]

After seeing that picture, I dont think anyone could be more fit to play Rolan Bushnell than Jimmy Fallon. Well, that's assuming Fallon could act.

[Rogue_Genius @ Jun 8th 2008 11:10PM]

I'm sorry, did Joshua just call him a "hunky dreamboat"

*runs to vomit furiously*

[Alex @ Jun 8th 2008 11:29PM]

I can totally see the resemblance.

[ddub @ Jun 8th 2008 11:37PM]

I always thought that present day Bushnell reminded me of Donald Sutherland.

[Michael @ Jun 8th 2008 11:51PM]

Strong resemblance!

What was that thud?
Oh my God!
Leonardo's career!
Speak to me!
It's not breathing.
Get an ambulance!

[GrangerFX @ Jun 9th 2008 1:09AM]

... and in the third act, there is a giant spider!

[Silenthillnight @ Jun 9th 2008 1:17AM]

@salientarbiter

I'm with Richy on this one, Titanic was a huge flop for all actors involved in that one. The only thing that saved it was the sappy love story which caught so many little girls off-guard. Other than that, he really is an A-list actor

[Silverfrog @ Jun 9th 2008 8:26AM]

Yeah and you probably watched it 5 times at least. I think it's funny when people come back after a movie's been out like 11 years and say shit like "oh that movie sucks". I'm just saying. It takes a genius to take a story that everyone knows the outcome to and make it sell a billion+ dollars at the box office. It sold well because people of all age groups like it, not just teenagers. I saw the movie at the theater and there were people from 8-98 there.