Chuck E. Cheese, a name that should be familiar to storied enthusiasts of dopamine-doused pizza slices and charmingly wonky animatronic shows, is getting into the game show space.
This week, the decades-strong family entertainment brand announced a partnership with the Magical Elves production company for a potential series titled Chuck E. Cheese Arcade Heroes. In a press release, Jo Sharon and Casey Kriley, co-CEOS of Magical Elves, promised a “super-sized twist” with the unscripted project.
We can expect to see adults, billed in press notes as “big kids,” being filmed taking on number of “super-sized arcade games,” including one compellingly referred to as “the human claw.” Other competitions on the show, now in development, range from pinball to air hockey. The competitive duo with the most tickets will have the opportunity to trade their haul in for items featured on a similarly super-sized take on the chain’s familiar prize wall.
"We are thrilled to be working with Magical Elves, whose deep expertise in unscripted content make them the perfect partner to capture the wholesome competitive spirit tied to childhood memories and transform the Chuck E. Cheese experience for television,” Melissa McLeanas, VP of Global Licensing, Media, and Branded Entertainment Development at CEC Entertainment, said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
For now, it's not clear when the potential series would be released, nor has a possible home for its rollout been publicly announced. Magical Elves, notably, is the same company known for its work on proven hits like Top Chef and Justin Bieber: Never Say Never.
As for those beloved animatronics, a Chuck E. Cheese in Northridge, California was last year designated as the lone remaining location to feature the shred-prone band. With any luck, the company will find a way to incorporate the band into Arcade Heroes. It's the least they could do.
