In the past, the notion of a film adaptation based on a beloved video game franchise seemed to spell doom before it was even released. This mindset came into play for good reason, as the the film landscape was littered withbad video game moviesthat ranged from mediocre to flat out awful. Huge misfires likeAlone in the DarkandSuper Mario Brosseemed to have cursed the entire concept, setting it up to forever fail. Thankfully, in recent years, a shift in quality has begun to emerge with decent adaptations such asSonic the Hedgehogand the upcomingUnchartedfilm.
In fact, theUnchartedfilm trailer just dropped recently, with many fans satisfied by the efforts made to closely replicate the thrills and tone of Naughty Dog’s popular adventure franchise. Hopefully, the film can deliver upon release and continue the upward trend for video game adaptations, as there are still plenty of other IP’s still waiting (and deserving) of the same treatment. From classic Nintendo properties to sprawling stories about the criminal underworld, these franchises would translate well to exciting films and TV shows.
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The Legend of Zelda (Movie)
Kicking things off is the series that is often brought up the most when discussing potential video game movies. With a franchise spanning 35 years, there is no shortage of material for filmmakers to draw from when adapting theLegend of Zeldaseries to a big screen adventure. Considering the high fantasy element and grand scope of the journey in which Link usually goes on, taking advantage of the massive size of a theater screen and surround sound audio would certaintly benefit the project. Just imaginePeter Jackson’sThe Lord of the Ringstrilogy, but swap out Link and gang for the Fellowship, and all the pieces fall into place. The trickiest part will be deciding if Link should speak or not.
Grand Theft Auto (TV Show)
Another one of the biggest names in gaming is undoubtedlyGrand Theft Auto. Rockstar’s flagship franchise has been a massive success over the years, withGrand Theft Auto 5in particular being one of the top selling games of all time. Similar toThe Legend of Zeldaabove, there would no shortage of material to draw from. FromVice City to San Andreas, there are numerous locations, storylines and characters to utilize here. In fact, it may be too much for one movie, even at a lengthy run time of 3 hours. A season of television however, similar toThe SopranosorSons of Anarchy, would be a great blueprint for all the bombastic events that happen in this criminal underworld.
Gears of War (Movie)
Sometimes, viewers just need a good old fashioned, special effects driven romp; a turn your brain off, action packed summer blockbuster. Few video games embody that philosophy better thanGears of War.Marcus Fenixand company’s big personalities (and even bigger guns) have all the right stuff for an over the top extravaganza. The different Locust enemy designs could help bring an element of horror to the film as well, ensuring that the threat is terrifying and not just there to be CG monsters to shoot at.
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God of War (TV Show)
God of Warbegan back on the PS2 in 2005, and is one of the most grand scale epics in the entire gaming medium. Translating this to film and doing the games justice would be no easy feat, which is why it may be better to spread the story out across a television series.Game of Throneshas proved that huge scale battles and stunning special effects can be done very well on TV, and the sweeping, tragic tale of Kratos would need more than a 2-3 hour runtime to be fully developed. Furthermore, each season can adapt a particular game, or even focus on a particular mythology altogether.
Metroid (Movie)
Even though Nintendo is going full steam ahead with itsSuper Mario Brosmovie, it still feels like it has other properties far more suited and deserving of a big screen treatment. Aside fromThe Legend of Zeldaabove,theMetroidfranchiseis so visually dazzling and narratively interesting that it would make for a fascinating world to explore on celluloid. Special effects could be a mix of digital and practical, and these teams could have a field day with all of the creature designs, as well as the gadgets within Samus' suit. Just picture the haunting atmosphere of theAlienfilms, but with an extra dose of the charm and adventure fromStar Wars, and a movie based on the intergalactic bounty hunter would make for a great watch.
Assassin’s Creed (TV Show)
Lastly is theAssassin’s Creedfranchise, which is potentiallyUbisoft’s most lucrative IP at the moment. An attempt has already been made to adapt this into a film in 2016 starring Michael Fassbender, but reception to that effort was mixed. To be fair to the film, it got the overall look right, and the costume design and action scenes were decent enough. It is just difficult to cram the lore and concepts of this incredibly complex franchise into one movie. For this reason, a live action television series may be better suited forAssassin’s Creed. Extending the storyline across numerous episodes and taking time to develop the rules of the world could make both the characters and various time periods more memorable.
Unchartedwill release in theaters on July 05, 2025.
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