Something quite bizarre is happening in the off-cut movie genre of game adaptations: some of the new ones aren’t awful.
As noted in the Vulture movie rankings, Sonic the Hedgehog (2020), Tomb Raider (2018), and Rampage (2018) are all not terrible, which flies in the face of much of what’s come before. Sure, there’s fun to be found in game adaptation movies, tracking back to Super Mario Bros. (1993), but rated as a movie, most were underwhelming, to say the least.
Now, however, on the back of the critical and box office success of many recent adaptations, there’s a wave of popular and questionable games getting the movie treatment. With studios doubtlessly looking for more properties to bring to the big screen, one that might present itself with all of the right materials is one of the most-played in the world, following the adventure of a conquistador seeking treasure.
Would Gonzo’s Quest Suit the Silver Screen?
Generally speaking, for a game adaptation movie to even hope to find success, the title in question needs to be popular enough to draw in the crowds, have a clear-cut goal or theme, and be driven by one or more great characters. That said, when movies try to directly replicate the speech, storylines, or bizarre character designs, or even don’t adhere to the source material enough, they can go terribly wrong.
As such, a popular game with a clear direction, set in an interesting landscape, and boasting a likable character could find success. This is why the all-conquering Gonzo’s Quest could make for a fine choice. Being one of the top slot games of Leovegas mobile casino, it’s certainly popular, and given the type of game, proper movie creatives would be able to craft the surrounding story.
Gonzo’s Quest follows the age-old tale of seeking the lost city of gold, El Dorado, and while this has been done before, it’s certainly not been done well in contemporary cinema. Aguirre: The Wrath of God (1972) sets the standard, El Dorado (1988) was middling, The Road to El Dorado (2000) bombed, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) nuked the fridge, and Oro (2017) struggled to hit the right notes.
All-in-all, it’s been a while since a journey into the hidden Americas, where countless dangers, struggles, and secrets are to be discovered, has been done well. Heroic conquistador Gonzo, the 1541 setting, and a potential final discovery of the hidden riches could make for an entertaining flick. At the very least, it’d be suitable for Netflix.
What to Expect from the Genre
Gaming is huge right now, but it’s not just the popularity of PlayStations and Nintendos that have game adaptation movies soaring at the box office. As recorded by The Numbers, seven of the top ten highest earners have been released in the last four-to-five years. The genre has momentum, and every studio with a decent special effects team is looking to cash-in.
Business Insider lists 13 being on the way, including Monster Hunter, Minecraft, Call of Duty, Sleeping Dogs, Halo, and another Super Mario Bros. Minecraft is one of the most popular games in the world, but anyone who’s played the game will wonder where the story’s going to come from, what with it just being a massive sandbox game. That said, they managed to draw some fairly good movies from Lego.
So, as you can see, if it’s the right property, any game can be worthy of the movie treatment. Gonzo’s Quest offers a recognizable name, interesting setting and direction, and a lot of creative freedom without any potential fan backlash.
