and The Legend of Zelda With a film adaptation looming in the distant future and ongoing debates over the ideal (and cursed) casting, it's time to look back at the good, the bad, and the ugly of video game film adaptations over the past few decades. As video games have become increasingly mainstream, filmmakers have increasingly turned to gaming IP for content that can reach the masses. As we all know, games that have made the leap to the big and small screen have met with varying degrees of success (and some astronomical failures).
But the past few years have seen more successes than failures. Sonic the hedgehog (After changing Sonic's original very cooked looking face) they raised the bar, super mario bros movie The box office took in a billion dollars, and even in a time when video game movie adaptations weren't all that popular, there were some standouts among the trash.
Let's dig into some of the best and worst video game adaptations that have ever feasted (or ruined) our eyes, and see exactly why they succeeded – or failed.
worst
Let's start with the bad news: some video game film adaptations have failed spectacularly and looked set to become cult favorites.
5. Monster Hunter (2020)
Monster Hunter We had a big budget, resident evil Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson and Milla Jovovich (resident evil Royalty from the movie series and giant monsters appear, wonderfulWhile it's certainly not the worst video game movie on this list, this one left me wanting something more. Monster Hunter.
4. Five Nights at Freddy's (2023)
Five Nights at Freddy's is yet another addition to the list of less-than-popular video game film adaptations, and it may be one of the more polarizing. Some die-hard fans love it, while others hate it. Most would agree that the film is let down by focusing on Mike's character instead of increasing the tension and terror of Freddy Fazbear and his animatronic gang. Going for a PG rating instead of a full-on horror might not have been the right choice here, but you'll have to decide for yourself whether this film was a smash hit or a flop. Critics seem to think it falls into the “flop” category.
3. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)
Jake Gyllenhaal has been cast as the Persian protagonist Dastan. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time It was certainly a choice, but of course it's not the only interesting choice made in the production of this film adaptation: the movie seems to have had very little to do with the game that inspired it. Prince of Persia Critics of the film have been particularly harsh, arguing that while a romantic plot was shoehorned into it (obviously), the real sticking point is that, despite it being a game, it's overly white. literally A work set in Persia.
2. Assassin's Creed (2016)
The film is off to a strong start, with an 18% approval rating from over 220 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. assassin's creed Despite a solid cast led by Michael Fassbender (who also serves as producer) and Marion Cotillard, the film is a real flop. The 2016 live-action adaptation of Ubisoft's franchise introduced original characters, but that's where the creativity ends for this utterly boring film. It's a shame that the film flopped like a flop, as it had so much potential. We can only be grateful that the planned sequels were cancelled after the first film's poor reception.
1. Warcraft (2016)
The list of poorly received video game film adaptations from 2016 has been expanded to include a decidedly dark age for video game-inspired media. Warcraft Despite being the complete opposite of the original, this review only gets a rating of “okay.” Huge Though some of the production budget was spent on big-budget visual effects, the overall story doesn't gel well, instead leaning more towards the camp nature of high fantasy. World of WarcraftBlizzard is Warcraft In terms of worldbuilding and storyline, the film doesn't live up to expectations. oh If you're a fan, you'll probably frown at this, which speaks volumes about how widely disliked it is to this day. Warcraft Somehow, it became the highest-grossing movie adaptation of a video game. Super mario bros This movie handily knocked this one off the top spot this year.
the best
Now that we've struggled to remember the worst video game film adaptations, let's take a look at some glorious examples of the best, most of which have been released recently, with quite a few franchises making it into our top picks. This may be a telltale sign that condensing an entire video game's story into roughly two hours of screen time is a Sisyphean feat.
6. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
Look, I think Lara Croft: Tomb Raider is iconic and I will never waver on that opinion. Angelina Jolie brought her whole self to this performance, cementing her as the face of Lara to this day. It was action-packed and still ranks as one of the great video game film adaptations, and one of the few to have really done well outside of the last five years (depending on who you ask of course).
5. The Witcher (2019) (just a little)
The WitcherThe currently streaming Netflix series, based on the book that the game is based on, is also featured here given how intertwined the game is with fan perceptions of the show – again a polarizing offering considering how well the first season captured the fan ethos. The Witcher The game stumbled a bit more in the early part of season 3 than what we expected, in the early part of season 4 than what we expected, and in the early part of season 5. This was before Henry Cavill was dropped from his role as Geralt. To give it a proper place in the Best of section of this list, we'll focus on the debut season. This season had it all: polished action, some decent comedy (thanks, Jaskier), catchy tunes (thanks, Jaskier, again), and solid performances from the main cast as the storylines and timelines began to converge. However, we'll take a cut for some of the characters' criminal costumes. Whether the next season exceeds expectations in the early part of season 3 is up for debate in the comments. The Witcher It falls into the more moderate adaptation realm.
4. Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)
After being thoroughly criticized by the internet for Sonic's look in the trailer being cursed (he haunts my dreams at night), he was given a complete makeover. Sonic the hedgehog As a video game adaptation, it's an absolute smash success: Jim Carrey's take on Dr. Eggman is iconic and camp in exactly the right way, and the movie as a whole is packed with just the right amount of humor and heart, making it a rare (though increasingly common) win for a video game movie. Sonic the hedgehog This is a great example of how listening to fans and audiences can actually be useful when working with existing source material.
3. The Last of Us (2023)
Another series, this time live action. The Last of Us “DeepLive” delves into Naughty Dog's much-loved story in a way that captures the brooding yet hopeful splendor of the original while still offering something fresh and new for audiences. Characters are explored and developed in new ways while staying consistent with the games, while Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey deliver performances that show depth and vulnerability, just as we've come to expect from Joel and Ellie. It remains to be seen whether HBO can land a second season, but even if they don't, I'll be thinking about Bill and Frank for a long time to come.
2. Fallout (2024)
Amazon Prime's Recent fall out The territory was a huge success, maintaining the overall tone of the game franchise while branching out into new territory and successfully capturing the attention of dedicated fans and newcomers to gaming alike. fall out Somber, satirical and brutal in equal measure, the show takes a risk by exploring a story very different from the games, even though it's set in a post-nuclear America. And it's one that's different from most adaptations, like The Last of Uswe were hesitant to accept it, but it paid off handsomely with an entirely new perspective on the world that so many fans of the franchise know and love. It has all the niche references you'd expect, and although it takes a new turn with the stories of Lucy, Maximus and Cooper, it all ties up neatly and comes full circle (though that ending still has us wanting more).
1. Arcane (2021)
Arcane Of course, what earns it a place at the top of this list is its stunning animation style, the acting of its cast, and the compelling storyline of Vi and Jinx in the conflict between Zaun and Piltover. It's no wonder this instant hit was renewed for a second season the same month it premiered on Netflix. League of Legends Many fans were pleased with the result of the efforts of Riot Games and animation studio Fortiche.
Given the frenetic pace at which video game-inspired media is announced, produced, and released, there are tons of movies and series that fit neatly on either end. Other great video game film adaptations include: Castlevania Thanks to the great story, character work and animation. Super mario bros. (1993) was praised as a highly absurdist work. Detective Pikachu The perfect amount of Ryan Reynolds. Disgraceful mention goes to the terrible version. Alone in the dark, Hitmanand unfortunately, Unknown World. where Borderlands The movies we'll sit down to, Until nowwho knows if we'll ever hear anything about it again, but to be honest, I know exactly where it is.
We will be watching closely The Legend of Zelda As a film Production progressesAnd considering how beloved this game series is, they will do everything they can to win.
What other adaptations do you think deserve to be on a best or worst list? Let us know in the comments.
Image: Prime Video / Netflix / Kotaku Australia
