No movie studio wants to recreate the epic flop that was the live action Super Mario Bros movie from the 1990s, so some might be hesitant to transform beloved video games into movies.
Studios need to rethink that attitude. Recent television successes like The Witcher and The Last of Us prove that video games can work well when transferred to the screen, if done correctly.
Video Games that Should Be Made Into Movies
The internet agrees. While scrolling through the gaming sub on Reddit, I found a question asking users what games they’d turn into movies if they had an Avatar-sized budget. I think most of these video games would make epic feature films!
BioShock
Apparently, at one point, a BioShock film was in development.
One Redditor replied, “I wish we could have seen Gore Verbinski’s Bioshock film make it to the screen.” According to the user, the film never made it past pre-production because the studio wanted a PG-13 movie, which would have defeated the purpose of Bioshock’s themes.
Knights of the Old Republic
With all the fresh Star Wars content coming out lately, this Redditor may someday get their wish!
Others mentioned that they’d prefer to see this game come to life via a television series, as there are far too many cut scenes and side quests to fit into one movie.
Portal
One user said they’d love to see a Portal movie but would prefer a prequel rather than a film based on the game’s story. They’d love to see the downfall of Aperture Science and the creation of GLaDOS, a sinister AI attempting to free itself of human morality.
Another user agreed, simply stating, “That’s actually amazing!”
Mass Effect
The space opera video game could make a compelling film with a big enough budget, but many users argued that the choice-driven format might be difficult to convert to a linear story.
Others said they’d love to see Mass Effect turned into a television series that explored the rich lore and array of characters.
Metal Gear Solid
The Metal Gear franchise has thrilled players with its rich storytelling and fantastical elements since the late 1880s.
Although a few users said they’d love to see the game turn into a full-feature film, others argued that the world is too complicated and rich for a movie. Another reminded players that one of the games, Metal Gear Solid 4, has an epic 70-minute cut scene at the end, which could be considered a movie.
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda is one of the most popular video game series ever made.
The N64 title, Ocarina of Time, often considered one of the best video games of all time, topped fans list of video games that should be made into movies, but I think studios could turn any of the modern games into an epic film. They could even use the world and character as a backdrop to make a new Legend of Zelda featuring our favorite princess, the timeless hero Link, and the world’s worst villain Gannon.
It seems studios actually listened to fans on this one. A Legend of Zelda film is in the works, scheduled to release sometime in 2027.
Titanfall 2
“Giant space empires, scrappy rebel uprisings, alien planets, giant robots, time travel… It’s just.. it’s one of my favorite settings.” says one user when explaining why Titanfall 2 would be an epic movie.
Others agreed, saying the short story could quickly be wrapped up in a 2.5-hour film.
Fallout
One Redditor didn’t just want a Fallout movie. They want the complete trilogy! Another commented that the feature film would have to be mostly looting, but that didn’t dissuade anyone.
This user is in luck, as a television series is already in production and set to debut this year.
Metroid Prime
Samus Aran would make an epic sci-fi hero. She’d rank among the greats like Ripley and Buffy if her game were turned into a movie series.
Redditors agreed that Metroid would make an incredible film, but some thought a different game in the series, such as Super Metroid or Zero Mission, would be better suited for the cinema than Metroid Prime.
Horizon Zero Dawn
The critically acclaimed game would turn into a fantastic movie, according to numerous Redditors.
Many commenters agreed that if Horizon were turned into a movie, it would need an Avatar-sized budget due to the immersive setting and giant mechanical Dinobots featured heavily in the game.
Many Games Would Make Great Movies
Thousands of video games out there would make fantastic movies with the proper budget and production team. Do you think Redditors got the top choices right? What would you pick?