Gaming has gone from being a relative niche activity to a mainstream entertainment option that is worth billions of pounds worldwide. Many films have featured games in their natural context, such as casino gaming in Bond films, although playing online on sites such as Virgin Games may change the way casinos are shown in films and on television.
As with film, music, television, and theatre, there is an enthusiastic market for crossover efforts, and this has led to some of the funniest, weirdest, and most unexpected movie adaptations going, including:
Detective Pikachu
Having captured the hearts of gamers from the earliest days of Pokemon’s popularity, the character of Pikachu was ripe for a movie role that could see him develop some new skills. While fans may have expected a live-action version of the little critter to follow the same lines as the game, this film took everyone by surprise when it focused largely on the mystery of his trainer’s missing father.
While Pikachu’s detective skills are put to the test, there is a little casual battling going on, but this film demonstrates that there might be a market for a potential new direction for the franchise to move into in the future. Starring Ryan Reynolds and featuring Bill Nighy, Rita Ora, and Kathryn Newton, the film had a quirky appeal that won over even the most battle-weary gamers.
Sonic the Hedgehog
Everybody’s favorite blue hedgehog has been the subject of three films – an animated adventure released in 1996 and then two that combine live-action with animation released in 2020 and 2022. The films combined plenty of action, adventure, and intrigue, all with a sense of fun that had viewers captivated.
Fans of the game appreciated the little touches that were included in the films, and the second film saw the much-anticipated meeting between the superfast interplanetary hedgehog and his enemy turned best friend Knuckles.
The all-star casts of both films were enough to bring in the crowds, with Jim Carrey, Idris Elba, Natasha Rothwell, and Tika Sumpter, but the films were widely regarded as successful, appealing to both children and adults all over the world.
Mortal Kombat
In 1995, when arcade gaming was at its peak, the first Mortal Kombat film was released, showcasing some of the most brutal moves that players had enjoyed in the video game of the same name. The first film follows the fate of three martial artists who have to save the world by competing in a martial arts tournament, and the 1997 follow-up continues along the same theme.
The second coming of the films began in 2020 when Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge was released, followed the next year by Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms and a third in 2022 – Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind. With Rick Morales expected to reprise his directorial role for a further film to be released in 2023, Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match is hotly anticipated both by the original fans of the franchise and the new generation of devotees.
Super Mario Bros.
Another film franchise that had its heyday in the 90s and a much-anticipated reboot more recently initially saw Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo playing the plumbing brothers Mario and Luigi. The 1993 film tackled some pretty big ideas as it was based on the premise that a prehistoric meteorite hitting the earth millions of years ago had split the universe into two parallel dimensions, one of which is populated by dinosaurs.
The film follows present-day plumbers Mario and Luigi as they struggle to keep up with their workload while helping an archaeology student who turns out to be a long-lost dinosaur princess from the other dimension. With Samantha Mathis, Dennis Hopper, and Fisher Stevens all starring in the original film, the 2023 reboot is set to be one of the biggest releases of the year.
Street Fighter
As one of the most iconic gaming franchises of its time, Street Fighter was transformed from a hugely popular arcade game into a madcap silver-screen romp featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Kylie Minogue. Some of the game’s best-loved characters were brought to life, with Ming-Na Wen playing the inimitable Chun-Li, Byron Mann as Ryu, Robert Mammone as Blanka, and Andrew Bryniarski as Zangief.
The film was popular among fans of the game, who were thrilled to see some of their favorite characters brought to life. Once the leading role had been allocated to Jean-Claude Van Damme, the budget for the rest of the cast was limited, so some of the most eagerly anticipated roles went to relatively unknown actors, and Kylie Minogue was cast to bring some Australian flavor to the film.
As technology advances and video games prioritize their storylines more and more, the idea of translating them into films has continued to be popular. This allows films to tackle subjects that would once have been too hard to render on screen using the latest technology to bring even the weirdest and most wonderful characters to life.