What 2015 sci-fi comedy film stars Adam Sandler, Kevin James, and Peter Dinklage as former arcade champions recruited to fight an alien invasion that takes the form of classic video game characters?

The 2015 sci-fi comedy film you're thinking of is Pixels (Review). It stars Adam Sandler, Kevin James, and Peter Dinklage as a trio of former arcade champions who are called upon to defend Earth from an alien invasion. The premise of the movie involves an extraterrestrial race misinterpreting classic 1980s arcade game video feeds, sent into space in a time capsule, as a declaration of war. As a result, the aliens attack Earth using technological recreations of iconic video game characters and patterns, turning familiar urban landscapes into pixelated battlefields.

In "Pixels," Adam Sandler plays Sam Brenner, a former arcade prodigy, while Kevin James portrays Will Cooper, who has become the President of the United States. Peter Dinklage takes on the role of Eddie "The Fireblaster" Plant, Brenner's arrogant childhood rival, known for his distinctive mullet in the film. These unlikely heroes, along with Josh Gad's character, Ludlow Lamonsoff, a conspiracy-theory-obsessed genius, must use their vintage gaming skills and knowledge of 8-bit rules to combat the alien threat. Michelle Monaghan also joins the team as Lieutenant Colonel Violet van Patten, a unique weapons (Review) developer.

The film, directed by Chris Columbus, was loosely adapted from a 2010 short film of the same name by Patrick Jean. It features numerous well-known arcade characters such as Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Centipede, Galaga, and Space Invaders, brought to life through impressive visual effects that transform them into voxelized 3D versions. A memorable sequence, for instance, involves a giant Pac-Man chasing the protagonists through New York City. Despite receiving mixed critical reviews, "Pixels" aimed to deliver a nostalgic, high-energy adventure celebrating retro gaming culture.