Do you remember WarGames? It starred Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy, and some of the technology used in the movie was light-years ahead of its time. The film was hugely popular and has a cult following to this day.
Well, it was released in theaters in 1983 and this year marks its 25th anniversary. To celebrate it (and to promote a sequel), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Fathom are giving fans a special showing on July 24th at 7:30pm (local time) for a one-time event.
If you’ve forgotten, here’s the synopsis of WarGames:
Computer hacker David Lightman (Matthew Broderick) can bypass the most advanced security systems, break the most intricate secret codes and master even the most difficult computer games. But when he unwittingly taps into the Defense Department’s war computer, he initiates a confrontation of global proportions World War III! Together with his girlfriend (Ally Sheedy) and a wizardly computer genius (Tony Award® winner John Wood), David must race against time to outwit his opponent… and prevent a nuclear Armageddon.
While it’s cool that it’s the 25th anniversary and all, the reason for this whole event is to promote the upcoming sequel called WarGames: The Dead Code. This special screening will not only have new interviews from the original cast, but also a sneak peek at the new sequel.
Word is, this new sequel isn’t going to be worth checking out. It premieres on July 29th. Considering that’s about three weeks from now and this is the first I’ve heard of it…ugh. It can’t be good.
However, the original will be playing all over the country, so if you want to check it out, visit Fathom and enter in your zip code. You’ll probably find something close by.

or instead of seeing it in the theater, you can send me $15 and i'll send you a $5 copy of the DVD. Everybody wins.
To be honest, the original wasnt even all that… I think it was the only thing going on at the time and all the hype of computers coming into being allowed for a new dimension of pc takeover (aside from hal trying it a decade or so earlier)
Well…you also get the new interviews and stuff
Nothing like seeing a movie on the big screen…
…and your seat kicked, and people smakcing down on their trough of popcorn with the ir feed bag on the whole movie, and kids talking….. can you say Blue-ray home theater?!?!!? you almost can…
The original sounds pretty good. This is the first I've heard of it. I'm not sure I'll want to see it in the theater though after the bashing it took from Cap'n. The trough line was hilarious! I'll rent it when it comes out with all the additional stuff.
Sounds like a great old school movie!
*GASP* How could you…I…but it's…
Ally Sheedy!!!
Wargames is a true classic of cinema. If you haven't already seen it, I highly recommend doing so, but you're not missing much if you don't go to see it in theaters; it's just as good on home theater.
i dont understand… what exactly is happing here? is this a new movie, a new hd dvd of the original movie, what?
The original movie is going to be shown in select theaters tomorrow night, July 24th, at 7:30pm. Then a crappy, direct-to-dvd sequel is coming out.
You guys are probably all too young to have seen the movie originally when it came out. For hackers like myself at the time (not too many) this was the greatest movie ever. I was 15 then and saw the movie about 20 times. I've got it on DVD now, yet took my daughter to see it last night. There's nothing like seeing it on the big screen after 25 years.
I was always hoping they would continue the story in WarGames II with the original cast, but it never happened. This new sequel doesn't seem worth watching.
BTW, the theater we went to was packed.
Max
Awesome Max, thanks for the recap dude.