Adaptations of beloved video games continue to interest studios and audiences alike, forming Hollywood’s next big trend.
The film industry is no stranger to adaptations. Hundreds of different stories from novels, comic books, and other artistic mediums have found their way into becoming feature films.
Beginning in 2016, film adaptations of video games hit the mainstream. Films such as “Warcraft” and “Detective Pikachu” established the mainstream potential of video game adaptations, becoming box office hits.
“I am excited to see what’s to come with these new video game adaptations. I have always enjoyed playing video games, but all the new interest in video game movies has gotten me really excited to see what’s to come for video games,” said, Ryan Wilkinson, a sophomore at Carlmont.
Following the success of these films, several high-profile adaptations hit the big screen. In 2023, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” set a new standard for video game adaptations, becoming the 17th highest-grossing film of all time.
These successes have also extended to the TV industry, with adaptations of “The Last Of Us” and “Fallout” praised by critics and audiences alike.
Apart from the economic potential, a key reason for the growth of video game adaptations is the creative potential offered to filmmakers. Video games often contain expansive universes that are not fully explored, allowing filmmakers to depict the universe with much freedom.
However, these collaborations often become simple cash grabs, abusing beloved video game brands for a quick box office hit. For this reason, many adaptations fail to reach their true potential.
“There is a lot of potential in some of these universes. If studios can get creative people to make these films, they have the potential to win Oscars. But if they are creating these films because of brand recognition, they’re just going to make mediocre movies,” said David Wells, a former video game developer.
Despite this, audiences still connect with a majority of these adaptations. Many viewers resonate with the characters and worlds on a deeper level due to their familiarity with the video games being adapted.
“I have enjoyed watching the recent video game adaptations. I found them interesting, and their connection to games I have played made me enjoy them a lot more,” said Roen Subba, a sophomore at Carlmont.
With record-breaking box office results and nearly limitless creative potential, an increasing amount of video game collaborations are being produced.
With films such as “Sonic The Hedgehog 3”, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2”, “A Minecraft Movie,” and many other video game adaptations in production, this trend will continue for years to come.
“This trend will continue in the future. Hollywood is very risk averse, and when opportunities like this arise, they will take everything they can,” Wells said.
