Pac-Man in movies and TV: every major appearance from 1982 to today
A character with no dialogue and no plot has appeared in more films than most actors. Here is where to find him and what each appearance says about the era.
Television
- Pac-Man (1982 to 1983), Hanna-Barbera. The first cartoon based on a video game, which gave Pac-Man a wife, a baby, pets and a villain. Its lasting effect on the "Mr." question is covered in mr pacman vs ms pacman and its characters in pacman characters list.
- Saturday Supercade (1983). An anthology that featured other arcade stars; Pac-Man's own show ran alongside it.
- Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures (2013 to 2015). A CGI series with a teenage Pac-Man, a school, and the villain Betrayus; it spawned two platform games.
Films
| Film | Year | How Pac-Man appears |
|---|---|---|
| Scott Pilgrim vs. the World | 2010 | Scott recites the Puck Man naming story as flirtation; the etymology is in meaning of the pacman name |
| Wreck-It Ralph | 2012 | Pac-Man attends Felix's anniversary party and Clyde chairs the villains' support group |
| Pixels | 2015 | A giant Pac-Man rampages through New York; Toru Iwatani is played by an actor while the real Iwatani cameos as an arcade technician |
| Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 | 2017 | Star-Lord takes the form of a giant Pac-Man during the final battle |
| Ralph Breaks the Internet | 2018 | Brief return cameo |
Music and commercials
"Pac-Man Fever" was the first video-game song to chart (its story is in pacman in pop culture), and the waka-waka sound has been sampled across hip-hop and electronic music ever since. Pac-Man has advertised everything from cars to telecoms, usually with the ghosts as the comic foil.
Why directors keep using him
The shape is readable at any size, the chase is understood by every generation, and the ghosts supply instant antagonists with no explanation needed. Pac-Man is also an unambiguous signal of the early 1980s, which is why nostalgic films reach for him. The character's four decades of game appearances are listed in all official pacman games, and the maze games on the mr pacman arcade guides are a reminder that the format works without the famous face.
More from the guides
- pacman perfect score — The Pac-Man perfect score is 3,333,360: every dot, pellet, ghost and fruit on 255 boards p…
- list of pacman games — A dated list of every official Pac-Man game: arcade originals, Ms. and Jr. Pac-Man, Pac-La…
- how power pellets work — How Pac-Man power pellets (energizers) work: 50 points, where the four are, frightened tim…
Frequently asked questions
Is Pac-Man in Wreck-It Ralph?
Yes. He appears at a party in Fix-It Felix Jr.'s building, and Clyde leads the Bad-Anon support group.
Did Toru Iwatani appear in Pixels?
Yes, as an arcade repair technician, while an actor played the character of Iwatani in the plot.
Was there a Pac-Man cartoon?
Two: Hanna-Barbera's 1982 series and the CGI Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures from 2013.