Leonardo DiCaprio set to star in 'Atari'

The video game industry is about to get an extreme makeover.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, one-time teen heartthrob Leonardo DiCaprio has been cast to play video game founding father Nolan Bushnell in the upcoming biopic "Atari." Paramount Pictures bought the rights to the film's script, which was penned by relative newcomers Brian Hecker and Craig Sherman. The movie will chronicle the life and times of the entrepreneurial gaming icon and is described as being similar in theme to one-man-against-the-world films like "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" and "Tucker."

Bushnell is best known as the tech visionary who brought gaming to the masses by co-founding Atari back in 1972 and conspiring with famed designer Al Alcorn to craft the landmark video game, Pong. Atari would come to rule gaming's early days only to suffer a monumental collapse in the mid-80s, though Bushnell would find continued success in other tech ventures, including the popular Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theater franchise.

How does the game god feel about being played by the impeccably suave DiCaprio? Just fine, thanks. In a brief interview with MTV, he acknowledged being "very, very thrilled and honored" that the "Titanic" star would slum it as a 70's techie. And you thought gaming was for geeks!

No word yet on a release date, but we're keeping our joysticks crossed that the project will get green-lit soon.

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