Pixels to Pictures: 10 Epic Video Games Transformed To The Movies

Filmmakers take a cue from video games and their fandoms

It is nothing new for filmmakers to tap into video games for creative ideas, translating beloved characters and setting immersive narratives. Recent TV shows like The Last of Us and Fallout may be getting the attention lately, but the synergy between gaming and film has created a diverse array of cinematic gems. Let us take you through some of the biggest gaming franchises of the past forty years that have led to action-packed adventures and thrilling mysteries on the big screen. There is something for every member of the family.

1. Mortal Kombat

The Mortal Kombat franchise encompasses 2 main films: Mortal Kombat (1995) and Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997). Anyone who grew up going to the arcade in 1992 to practice their martial arts in the game Mortal Kombat couldn’t wait to step into the theater in 1995. Both films remain popular with fans of the arcade games for the nostalgic appeal and the entertaining fight scenes. Fans of the franchise can dive deeper with an animated sequel, live-action prequel, and most recently, the franchise saw a reboot with a new film released in 2021.

2. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within was a groundbreaking animated science fiction movie in 2001 that was directed by Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of the fantasy anthology video game franchise. The first video game was released in 1987, followed by fifteen (!) sequels. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within is a thrilling, futuristic adventure that puts the people of Earth against mysterious aliens that steal energy from all living things on the planet. The movie may have underperformed at the box office but it earned cult movie status for its innovative approach to animation. This franchise has a wealth of adventure waiting for you. 

3. Resident Evil

For the horror fans out there, the Resident Evil film series released between 2002 and 2017 was adapted from the video game of the same name. It remains the video game franchise with the most live-action adaptations, and the highest grossing zombie film series. While the first 6 movies feature a character that was created specifically for the big screen, Alice (Milla Jovovich), several characters from the games appear throughout as she battles the Umbrella Corporation, whose bioweapons have triggered a zombie apocalypse. The franchise saw a reboot in 2021 with Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, which is the first movie not to feature the character Alice.

4. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

We cannot talk about video games made into movies without talking about Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, inspired by one of the most successful video game characters. Angelina Jolie brought Lara Croft to life on the big screen in 2001. Lara Croft is an archeologist & adventurer who seeks an ancient artifact that has the ability to control time. Trying to find this artifact before a secret society does, Lara encounters traps and puzzles full of danger around the world. Angelina Jolie captured the adventurous spirit of this game character well and the film was a hit at the box office, leading to a sequel and the cementing of Lara Croft as a prominent figure in pop culture.

5. Gran Turismo

Gran Turismo is a popular racing simulation video game franchise that was released on the Sony Playstation gaming system in 1997. The film of the same name was released in 2023. The movie follows the true story of one gamer in particular, Jann Mardenborough, who became the youngest winner of the GT Academy competition in 2011 and received a racing contract with Nissan. So for all of you gamers out there, there is always a chance to live out your dream. So keep that pedal to the ground and speed ahead!

6. The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Super Mario Bros. was developed in 1985, and Mario & Luigi never looked back. Selling over 58 million copies worldwide, everyone was experiencing the Mushroom Kingdom, trying to save the princess from the evil Bowser. It wasn’t until 2023 that it got the feature film that it deserved (we will totally forget about that live-action one in 1993). Chris Pratt, Jack Black, Charlie Day and many others voiced all of the fan favorite characters, as Mario and Luigi are transported into a magical world but are separated. Mario lands in the Mushroom Kingdom, and Luigi in the Dark Lands. The movie is filled with all kinds of nostalgia with game music & moves, and will also keep the younger generation entertained as well. And an original song sung by Bowser (played by Jack Black) will be stuck in your head for days.

7. Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic the Hedgehog was released on the Sega Genesis system in 1991 to provide Sega with a mascot to compete with Nintendo’s Mario. Sonic is an anthropomorphic blue hedgehog that battles the evil Doctor Eggman in the games. The film of the same name was released in 2020, and in it, Sonic is sent to Earth by his guardian after he’s attacked. Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) is Sonic’s archenemy in the movie because of his plans to exploit Sonic’s special abilities for personal gain. If you loved Jim Carrey as the Riddler in Batman Forever, you’ll equally enjoy this super villain as Jim Carrey has said himself that the two would make a great pair. Sonic the Hedgehog was rewarded with a sequel in 2022, and a third movie is due out at the end of 2024.

8. The Angry Birds Movie

If you weren’t playing the Angry Birds game on your phone in 2010, you just might be a rare bird. There are over 700 levels to play in this puzzle sling-shooting game. By 2015, the game had been downloaded 3 billion times. In 2016, a couple of flightless birds got the big screen treatment where “Red” (voiced by Jason Sudeikis) lands in anger management class. He meets a couple of misfits, Chuck and Bomb, and together they have to stop a crew of pigs plotting an evil plan. The sequel, The Angry Birds Movie 2, was released on the 10th anniversary of the original game.

9. Pixels

Pixels isn’t a movie based on a singular game, but is a movie that celebrates the retro 8-bit games of the past. Aliens misinterpret video feeds of classic arcade games as a declaration of war, so they decide to attack Earth in the form of the video games. Now, the only people that can save the planet from a giant Pac-Man are a group of old-school arcade players (Adam Sandler, Peter Dinklage, Kevin James). All those hours at the arcade growing up finally paid off!

10. Tetris

If you have fond memories of playing Tetris on your Gameboy, this next movie might be of interest to you. Since an adaptation of a puzzle game is not exactly doable (we won’t say impossible because of the movie Pixels), the movie Tetris is a biographical thriller about the race to license and patent the game in the 80s during the Cold War.

Join the conversation and share your favorite video game adaptation in film! Leave a comment below and let us know which game-to-movie adaptation you enjoy the most!

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