Film studio CREATORVC, best known for TerrorBytes: The Evolution of Horror Gaming and the In Search of Darkness documentary series, has revealed it is developing Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story, a feature-length documentary focused on the LucasArts and Humongous Entertainment games built using the SCUMM engine.
Written and directed by Richard Moss — whose previous work includes TerrorBytes and several well-regarded books on games history — and produced by Daniel Richardson, the film aims to take a deep dive into both the technology and the creative culture behind SCUMM-era adventures. The documentary is expected to run close to three hours and is being positioned as a game-by-game, developer-led retrospective.
Me vs. point-and-click
I came to point-and-click adventures sideways. As an Amiga owner, The Secret of Monkey Island and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade were the ones that really stuck — witty, confident games that felt smarter than most of what was around at the time.
Beyond those, though, I largely drifted away from the genre. Not because it lacked depth, but because much of it became harder to access as hardware moved on. Ironically, it’s only in recent years — thanks largely to ScummVM — that the sheer scale and ambition of the SCUMM era has become fully visible again.
Although I did learn that you can run ScummVM games on all manner of platforms. Even a Raspberry Pi!
Now, a newly announced documentary aims to tell the story of the engine, the games, and the people behind one of the most creatively fertile periods in adventure gaming history.
What is Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story?
According to CREATORVC, the film will feature more than 20 interviews with LucasArts alumni and genre veterans. Confirmed contributors include SCUMM and Monkey Island creator Ron Gilbert, Zak McKracken designer David Fox, SCUMM engine programmer Aric Wilmunder, Monkey Island and Freddi Fish co-writer and designer Tami Borowick, and background artist Mark Ferrari, with additional interviews planned.
The scope is ambitious. Passport to Adventure intends to go behind the scenes of all 12 LucasArts SCUMM adventures, alongside several Humongous Entertainment titles. Games confirmed for coverage include The Secret of Monkey Island, Maniac Mansion, The Dig, Sam & Max Hit the Road, Day of the Tentacle, Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis, Loom, The Curse of Monkey Island, and Humongous favourites such as Freddi Fish and the Case of the Missing Kelp Seeds.
Rather than focusing purely on nostalgia, the documentary promises to explore how SCUMM itself enabled designers to experiment with tone, humour, puzzle structure, and storytelling at a time when creatives were given unusual freedom. That freedom, as Moss notes, resulted in a short but remarkably inventive period in mainstream game development.
“This is one of my dream projects,” said Moss. “I’ve long wanted to dive into the stories behind these iconic games and to celebrate their delightful art, design, and humor.”
How fans can help shape the documentary
The project is currently in development, with CREATORVC looking to recruit around a thousand fans to join an online focus group. The goal is to refine the film’s concept and confirm there is sufficient demand to take the documentary into full production. Fans interested in helping shape the project can join the waitlist at scummdoc.com.
For anyone who discovered these games decades ago — or, increasingly, through ScummVM on modern hardware — Passport to Adventure: The SCUMM Story looks set to be a detailed examination of how some of the most enduring adventure games ever made came to exist, and why they continue to matter long after floppy disks and CRTs disappeared from desks.
I’m really looking forward to seeing how this project develops. You can learn more about the production, and sign-up for updates, at www.scummdoc.com — I have!
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Christian Cawley is the founder and editor of GamingRetro.co.uk, a website dedicated to classic and retro gaming. With over 20 years of experience writing for technology and gaming publications, he brings considerable expertise and a lifelong passion for interactive entertainment, particularly games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras.
Christian has written for leading outlets including TechRadar, Computer Weekly, Linux Format, and MakeUseOf, where he also served as Deputy Editor.
When he’s not exploring vintage consoles or retro PCs, Christian enjoys building with LEGO, playing cigar box guitar, and experimenting in the kitchen.
