Video games and movies have been linked together since the dawn of cinema. From the early days of arcade classics like “Pac-Man” and “Donkey Kong” to modern hits like “Assassin’s Creed” and “Sonic the Hedgehog,” video game franchises have often been adapted into movies. Some have been great successes, while others have fallen flat. Most recently, the “Super Mario Bros. Movie” just opened as the biggest movie of 2023 so far, and broke the opening weekend records for both an animated movie and a video game adaptation. Let’s take a look at some of the best and worst video game movie adaptations, as well as some upcoming releases.
History of Video Game Movies
The first video game movie adaptation was “Super Mario Bros.” in 1993. While the movie was a box office success, it was critically panned and is now considered a cult classic. Other early video game movies like “Street Fighter” and “Mortal Kombat” were similarly received.
In the early 2000s, there was a surge in video game movie adaptations, including “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider,” “Resident Evil,” and “Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.” While some of these movies were financially successful, they often received mixed or negative reviews from critics.
In recent years, there have been a number of successful video game movie adaptations. “Detective Pikachu” was a critical and commercial hit, grossing over $430 million worldwide. “Sonic the Hedgehog” was also a box office success.
The “Super Mario Bros. Movie” recently opened with a jaw-dropping $204 million domestic and $377 million global debut and is on pace to break some box office records.
And it’s not just video games on the big screen anymore, there have been an increasing numbers of TV series based on video games such as “League of Legends: Arcane”, “Halo”, and “The Last of Us” that are giving video game fans a host of streaming options.
Upcoming Video Game Movies and Shows
“Borderlands” is one of the upcoming movies I’m excited about. Based on the popular video game franchise of the same name, the movie is set to star Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, and Jamie Lee Curtis, among others. Here’s a list of some other movies and shows that are in the works, or rumored to be made:
- Five Nights at Freddy’s
- Borderlands
- Sonic the Hedgehog 3
- Minecraft
- Days Gone
- Death Stranding
- Dead by Daylight film
- Duke Nukem
- Firewatch
- Ghost of Tsushima
- Gravity Rush
- Jak and Daxter
- Just Cause film
- Just Dance
- Metal Gear
- Mortal Kombat 2
- Pac-Man
- Portal
- Rabbids
- Return to Silent Hill
- Saints Row
- Space Invaders
- Street Fighter]
- Streets of Rage
- Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon
- Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell
- Yakuza
In conclusion, video game franchises continue to be a popular source for movies and TV adaptations. While there have been some missteps in the past, recent adaptations like “Detective Pikachu” and “Sonic the Hedgehog” and “Super Mario Bros.” have shown that it’s possible to make great video game movies. Here’s to hoping Hollywood puts out some good ones for us.
The 10 best video game movies of all time | GamesRadar+
‘Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Box Office: All the Records Smashed on Opening Weekend | Variety
Other Stuff you Might Like:
Get Your Get Geekish Podcast Fix:
