Exclusive featurette introducing Pixels Lady Lisa

In Pixels, the upcoming adapted-from-a-short videogame actioner, aliens intercept a time capsule that was rocketed into space in 1982, and they misconstrue the contents as a declaration of war. So, what do they do in retaliation? Send a bunch of retro videogame characters down to destroy Earth, in stylishly blocky fashion.

Among the familiar arcade faces (Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, et al), there’s a character who has been newly created for the film. Ashley Benson (Spring Breakers) plays Lady Lisa, a sword-swinging heroine from the fictional Dojo Quest (we say fictional, a tie-in version has now been created for the movie). Our exclusive video featurette gives a first look at the character below.

Lady Lisa holds a special place in the heart of Ludlow (Josh Gad), one of the gaming experts recruited by the president to help shoot down the (space) invaders. Turns out he was quite the fan of Dojo quest while he was growing up.

Checkout the exclusive Pixels: Lady Lisa featurette below:

Pixels co-stars Adam Sandler and Peter Dinklage as Gad’s fellow gaming experts, and Michelle Monaghan is a weapons specialist on hand to get them kitted out with E.T.-destroying weaponry. Chris Columbus (Home Alone, Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone) is calling the shots, and is aiming for an Amblin vibe. “I thought, ‘Those types of films haven’t been made in a long time.’ That sort of evocative movie that felt like… you can’t pinpoint what those movies felt like. They exist from a very specific time, probably around 1982 to 1986. And I thought, ‘I’ve got to go back and do something like that…’” For more on Pixels, read the on-set report in the latest issue of Total Film magazine.

Pixels opens in the US on 24 July 2015, and hits the UK on 12 August.