Iconic arcade game Whac-A-Mole is getting the TV treatment.
Toymaker Mattel is teaming with Fremantle (American Idol, America’s Got Talent) to adapt the beloved property into a reality competition TV series. A network is not yet attached.
The game show will turn Whac-A-Mole into an elimination competition in which opposing teams face in challenges that include a life-sized Whac-A-Mole, races and obstacle courses with a surprising twist.
Whac-A-Mole is the latest Mattel property to be developed for television from Mattel’s recently launched division. Adam Bonnett is overseeing development of the series for the company, which is also adapting its beloved Uno for television. Fremantle president of alternative programming Jayson Dinsmore will oversee for the company.
“Whac-A-Mole is a beloved, action-packed arcade game with a deep fan following, and the interactive nature and comedic energy of the game makes it a great franchise for episodic television,” said Adam Bonnett, who is developing the series for Mattel Television and who will exec produce, “Jayson and the team at Fremantle have had unparalleled success creating iconic reality television series and are the perfect partners to help us bring this classic game to life in new ways.”
Since it first hit arcades in 1976, Whac-A-Mole has been a staple at carnivals and amusement parks. Mattel turned the property into a tabletop game in 2009 and, in the spring, will release a Whac-A-Mole Match-A Mole, which incorporates traditional gameplay into a matching card game.
“We’re so excited to have the iconic Whac-A-Mole brand as our newest playground,” Dinsmore said. “Partnering with Mattel to bring this classic game to television in a dynamic and synergistic life-sized world is a dream come true.”
