The Wrap's Deal Central has scored exclusive details on what might be the worst movie idea in the history of mankind: videogame publisher Electronic Arts is entering the movie business and their planned first feature is a film based on the popular 'Madden NFL' franchise. While there have been some great movies made about football, EA's plans for a big screen 'Madden' have little to do with the actual gridiron action – and will instead focus on the infamous "cover curse" that's been plaguing athletes since back in 1999.

The "Madden Curse" basically dictates that any professional football player featured on the cover of the game will either suffer a debilitating injury or have one of the worst years of his career statistically. What sounds like a lot of superstitious mumbo-jumbo seems all too real when perusing NFL history.

Unfortunately, EA's planned project won't spend time chronicling how players like Dorsey Levens, Marshall Faulk and Troy Polamalu had bad years when they were featured on the packaging (or even how LaDanian Tomlinson refused to be on the cover in 2008. Tomlinson cited the status of his contract negotiations as the reason for passing, but he may have been afraid of the curse too). Instead, it's going to focus on a former 'Madden' videogame champion forced out of retirement (did he quit because he got tendinitis in his thumb from vigorously working the hit stick?) who finds himself dealing with the curse after being featured in the corner of the newest installment's cover art. Sounds...ridiculous.

Pat O'Brien, a VP at EA, is currently controlling development of the idea and will serve as a producer. O'Brien wasn't available for comment, but Deal Central did confirm that the project is in development with another (unnamed) employee at the gaming giant.

'Madden' is one of the company's biggest franchises, with more than $3 billion in total sales since 1988. It remains to be seen if the game's rabid fanbase (who scoop up millions of copies each summer when the newest installment debuts) will be moved to watch a cinematic version of the game only tangentially related to actual football. Even more puzzling is why Electronic Arts – who has a stable of games with great premises and cinematic narratives (like 'Dead Space') – would choose something so odd for their debut feature. Only time will tell if this adaptation ever moves past the line of scrimmage, but start placing your bets now as to whether 'Madden' the movie will challenge titles like 'Super Mario Bros.' and 'Double Dragon' for the crown of worst game to film adaptation of all time.