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Video game adaptations have been all the rage lately, ranging from massively successful movies like The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Uncharted to critically acclaimed series like The Last of Us and Fallout. It’s quickly become the new golden goose that nearly every other studio is jumping on now that video game content doesn’t have this negative stigma, and the multitude of available franchises and IP are ripe for the picking. It’s no wonder that some of the biggest names out there, including The Legend of Zelda, God of War, Minecraft, and Final Fantasy, have adaptations in the works.
However, even beyond the already announced films and series in the works, there is near-limitless potential for the types of stories and characters that can make the jump from video games to the big screen. From massive franchises with countless games and stories to individual games that would work perfectly for the cinematic medium, there’s a good case for just about any video game to make it to the big screen. Some are certainly more likely than others, but certain video games are perfect for a movie adaptation, to the point where it’s outright bizarre that it hasn’t happened yet.
10
‘Dark Souls’
Debut Game: ‘Dark Souls’ (2011)
Easily one of the most defining and influential game series of recent memory, Dark Souls is a series of dark fantasy action role-playing games with a large emphasis on overarching lore and incredible difficulty. Their playstyle revolutionized and created an entire subgenre of games known as “soulslike,” but it’s the overarching stories and novels’ worth of backstory that have kept fans in love with the series.
There would unquestionably be an audience that would fall head over heels for an adaptation of some of the series’ most pivotal and important moments, even to those who aren’t as well-versed in the game’s universe. The dark fantasy aesthetic also lends itself perfectly to an adaptation, giving a chance to bring the many monsters and creatures to life in highly inventive ways. One can imagine that the film would play in a similar realm to a film like The Green Knight, balancing its dark fantasy setting with themes of looming death and destruction.
9
‘Heavy Rain’
Debut Game: ‘Heavy Rain’ (2010)
One of the biggest names when it comes to immersive storytelling in gaming and branching-path stories, Heavy Rain was highly revolutionary for its era, with never-before-seen depth and some of the best graphics possible. The game has the player control four different protagonists as they are each closely involved with the mystery of the Origami Killer, a serial killer who uses extended periods of rainfall to drown his victims. The game quickly caught on because of its interactive nature, where players chose the actions of the characters and, in turn, where the story would go.
It’s interesting to imagine how a Heavy Rain film would be adapted, whether it simply sticks to the main story or finds a way to include a wide variety of different branches and story beats at once. Still, it’s hard to deny the potential that Heavy Rain would have on the big screen, as it’s still an icon of the medium nearly 15 years after its release. A movie based on this groundbreaking game would certainly become one of the best psychological thrillers in modern cinema.
8
‘Pikmin’
Debut Game: ‘Pikmin’ (2001)
One of the cutest Nintendo franchises out there, the Pikmin series follows the adventurous space captain Olimar after he finds himself stranded in a strange, unknown world. In an effort to leave the planet, he finds himself teaming up with and amassing an army of alien creatures known as Pikmin, who help him defeat enemies and carry objects back to his ship. The series has continuously been a fan-favorite for Nintendo, with the most recent game in the series, Pikmin 4, being a massive success and the best-selling game in the series.
Following the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie and the upcoming Legend of Zelda movie, it seems like it’s only the beginning for Nintendo franchises to get film adaptations. Of their franchises that haven’t been adapted yet, Pikmin would be a great fit for the silver screen, as it’s simplistic enough with its cute character designs and potential for misadventures that could easily result in a great family movie. Nintendo has already experimented with animated Pikmin stories in the past with a trio of short films made to promote Pikmin 3.
7
‘Pokémon: Mystery Dungeon’
Debut Game: ‘Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red and Blue Rescue Team’ (2005)
Pokémon has seen a multitude of film adaptations over the years, ranging from the recent live-action blockbuster Detective Pikachu to all the anime movies featuring Ash Ketchum and his friends. Still, one spin-off that would make for a perfect film adaptation is the widely beloved Pokémon: Mystery Dungeon series, which follows teams of talking Pokémon teams as they navigate dungeons for quests and loot. While seemingly innocuous, the series has attained legendary status among fans due to having the best storylines in the entire franchise.
Aside from having exceptional stories that would work great in a feature film, Pokémon: Mystery Dungeon is distinctly different from every other Pokémon film adaptation, following groups of talking Pokémon and no on-screen humans. Also, the existence of Detective Pikachu shows that they are willing to go the extra mile and adapt seemingly obscure Pokémon spin-offs into films, so it makes sense that one of the most beloved spin-offs would get its time in the spotlight.
6
‘Dead Rising’
Debut Game: ‘Dead Rising’ (2006)
Zombie movies were one of the biggest trends of the late 2000s and 2010s; one game series that was relatively early to the punch and helped kickstart the trend was Dead Rising. The first game follows journalist Frank West as he is airdropped into a large shopping mall overrun with zombies, with no other option but to use everything surrounding him to fight back. Simultaneously, he is doing everything he can to uncover the mystery of the outbreak, who caused it, and how to stop it.
While the first game plays its cards a little too closely to already existing zombie media like Dawn of the Dead, it’s the worldbuilding in the sequels where the true cinematic potential in the series lies. Dead Rising has a highly unique take on a zombie-infested world, following a capitalistic society and government that have adapted to zombie outbreaks, with protests for zombie rights and daily injections to stop them from turning. While the series has technically been adapted to film in the past, it follows generic original characters and fails to recapture the magic and nuance of the original’s story and worldbuilding.
5
‘Dead Space’
Debut Game: ‘Dead Space’ (2008)
A widely successful sci-fi horror franchise, Dead Space transforms a classic zombie story with a sci-fi setting to create one of the most memorable and terrifying game franchises of its era. Set in the far-off 26th century, the series follows everyday engineer Isaac Clarke as he is forced to use the tools at his disposal to take down hordes of mutated undead space horrors. While the franchise was long since dormant after the initial trilogy, it had a recent resurgence with a remake of the first game released early last year.
Sci-fi horror is one of the most tried-and-true genres out there, and the world and story of Dead Space easily lend themselves to a cinematic experience. The series has technically already had a sort of film adaptation, getting a duo of promotional adult animated films released to promote the first two games, proving that it works well in a cinematic format. On top of this, the master of horror himself, John Carpenter, has gone on record saying that he wants to adapt the Dead Space series for film, so nearly everything in the world is pointing to this needing to happen.
4
‘Grand Theft Auto’
Debut Game: ‘Grand Theft Auto’ (1997)
One of the biggest and most successful video game franchises of all time, the Grand Theft Auto franchise has redefined what video games could be for generations, attracting a slew of both controversy and acclaim. The series follows numerous different criminals as they go about their lives in bustling, fully realized fictional cities, helping create some of the most grounded and realistic worlds in the digital space.
Outside of the mountains of violence, sexual content, and other controversies, part of why Grand Theft Auto has stood the test of time is its sense of freedom, limitless possibilities, and effective stories. Whether it be an adaptation of an already successful and beloved story from the series or simply an original story that expands on the themes and core messages of the series, there’s untapped potential for what Grand Theft Auto could do on the big screen.
3
‘Team Fortress’
Debut Game: ‘Team Fortress Classic’ (1999)
Featuring one of the most memorable and beloved casts of characters in video games, Team Fortress, and specifically Team Fortress 2, transforms the simple class-based shooter genre into a full display of creativity and character. The game follows the ongoing battles between two different teams, RED and BLU, and the mercenaries that the companies have hired to face off against one another for the sake of profits. The game has been so successful that there are dedicated fans who still love and play Team Fortress 2 over 16 years after its initial release.
Even outside the core game, there’s so much love and personality in each of the Team Fortress 2 characters that it’s easy to see the cast working perfectly in a feature-length film. These characters and their personalities have been explored in numerous other avenues, from the legendary series of animated shorts made to promote the game and its updates to the fan-favorite comic that delved into the backstory of the game. While there have long been rumors about a possible TV show or movie adaptation, fans are still waiting for a glorious adaptation that does these characters justice.
2
‘Metroid’
Debut Game: ‘Metroid’ (1986)
One of Nintendo’s flagship titles, Metroid is an icon for science fiction in video games and has continuously released what have been considered some of the most critically acclaimed and greatest games of all time. The series follows the ventures of bounty hunter Samus Aran as she embarks on dangerous intergalactic missions ranging from facing off against vicious alien races to stopping the spread of deadly parasites. Samus is one of, if not the most iconic female hero in video game history, and is a character that many are shocked has yet to make the jump to the big screen.
While certainly not as big as Mario or Zelda, Metroid is still up there as one of Nintendo’s most coveted recurring series and could very well receive an adaptation soon if the live-action Zelda movie succeeds. What makes Metroid especially interesting is that the film was once much more than a pipe dream by fans, but an actual film developed and helmed by legendary action director John Woo. While the plans for this project fell through, it shows that even back then, before the release of hit titles like Metroid Dread, there was mass intrigue around bringing the sci-fi world to life.
1
‘Red Dead Redemption’
Debut Game: ‘Red Dead Revolver’ (2004)
Rockstar Games’s legendary open-world western series, Red Dead Redemption has quickly made its place alongside Grand Theft Auto as one of the most successful and beloved open-world action series out there. The series sees players control a wanted outlaw in the Wild West, taking on numerous heists and playing a part in dangerous shootouts in a cycle of violence and redemption. While the Western genre hasn’t particularly been a major hit with audiences lately, it’s hard to deny the potential and possibilities of a Red Dead Redemption movie.
Westerns were once some of the most acclaimed films out there, with Red Dead Redemption‘s story taking direct inspiration from these classic tales for its own groundbreaking story. It would make for a perfect sense of poetic justice if the game were able to tell its masterful story, which is already considered one of the best in modern video game history, on the big screen. Especially with the continued success of the series with Red Dead Redemption 2, it’s the seemingly perfect time to see the series on the big screen.
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Robert Lee III
Almontather Rassoul
