Paramount options mo-pic rights to Area 51

Paramount Pictures announced today that it has optioned the movie rights to Midway Games' arcade action thriller Area 51. A home version of the game, leveraging the voice-acting skills of David Duchovny, Powers Boothe, and Marilyn Manson, is set to be released next March on the PlayStation 2 and Xbox, but the movie will not necessarily draw on the game's talent, says Paramount.

X-Files alum Duchovny will play the game's hero, Ethan Cole, while Marilyn Manson will provide the voice acting for Edgar, the gray alien. Powers Boothe will step into the role of Major Bridges in the game iteration.

The film will be produced by How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days' Christine Peters. Both Midway and Paramount are controlled by Viacom chairman and CEO Sumner Redstone.