BEIJING (AP) — It could be a blockbuster. At least that's what a Chinese-American movie studio hopes to produce in a sci-fi thriller based on the popular 1980s video game Tetris.

The $80 million project is the first from the newly formed Threshold Global Studios, a joint venture between Chinese entertainment investor Bruno Wu's Seven Star Works and producer Larry Kasanoff's California-based Threshold Entertainment Group, which produces live action movies.

The joint venture "will make cross-cultural movies for the global market," a statement released Tuesday from the studio said. Kasanoff added that the 32-year-old video game Tetris "is a perfect first project for this strategy."

The movie, whose name was not mentioned in the release, follows in the mold of such computer game-inspired film productions as "Resident Evil," ''Tomb Raider" and "Mortal Kombat."

Shooting will begin next year and financing is complete, the statement said, and there are plans to film in China and feature Chinese actors.

Kasanoff has previously produced two "Mortal Kombat" movies. Wu is founder and CEO of Sun Seven Stars Media Group, a private media and entertainment investment company in China.