Here's 5 video games turned into Hollywood big screen movies
Shocked some of the biggest blockbusters of all-time had roots to video games? Look no further than a fire list of five flicks based on games initially aimed at gamers.
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During an era of reboots, remakes, and sequels that have decades separating them from their original pieces, it is undeniable that fans love seeing their favorite classics brought back to life in a creative way, whether it be a continuation, a retelling, or a spin-off.
We’ve seen a wide range of nostalgic titles come back to our big and little screens, such as Disney’s ‘The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder’ and ‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,’ Peacock’s ‘Bel-Air,’ a musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s ‘The Color Purple’ produced by Oprah Winfrey in 2023, and so many more.
Another popular medium that has been introduced to the world of remakes, reboots, and sequels are video games. While this particular adaptation genre may be unexpected to some, movies like ‘The Super Mario Bros.’ or ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ prove to be successful among audiences, especially since they chase a feeling of nostalgia for those who played certain video games as children.
Check out these 5 movies that originated from or inspired popular video games:
‘Borderlands’ (2024) - Brought to theaters by Lionsgate studios, ‘Borderlands’ is set to release this August featuring stars like Kevin Hart, Black Jack, Cate Blanchett, and more. This adaptation is based on the video game franchise developed by Gearbox Software that is made distinct by its cooperative gameplay, humor-infused narrative, and toon shading art style.
‘Gladiator II’ (2024) - Coming to theaters twenty-four years after its prequel, ‘Gladiator’ (2000) starring Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix, “Gladiator II” follows Lucius as he is forced to enter the Colosseum to defeat the emperors who now lead Rome, and restore the glory of the empire to its people. While both films are based on real-life stories of the Roman empire, there have been video games, like Story of a Gladiator or Gladiator’s Arena, that draw inspiration from the same sources. ‘Gladiator II’ will be available on November 22, only in theaters.
‘Transformers One’ (2024) - The original 2007 Transformers film was the first installment of the franchise, and was based on the Hasbro toy line by the same name. There have since been six additions to this franchise, with the 2024 ‘Transformers One’ serving as the prequel of the Transformers universe. More specifically, this movie’s plot traces back to the origins of the conflict between the Autobots and Decepticons on their home planet, Cybertron. ‘Transformers One’ will be available only in theaters on September 20.
‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ (2024) - On December 20, 2024, the third film in the Sonic the Hedgehog series will arrive on the big screen for moviegoers to enjoy. Just like the original 2020 film and its 2022 follow-up, ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ will draw inspiration from the video games created by Sega.
‘Mortal Kombat’ (2021) - In 2021, ‘Mortal Kombat’ was released to theatres and serves as a reboot for the 1995 film, which was based on the video game franchise (with 25-28 installments of its own) by the same name. In the rebooted version, MMA fighter Cole Young searches for the world’s best warriors in a great showdown for the fate of the universe. A sequel is reportedly in the works, with a release date set for October 2025, according to Screenrant.
