Movies based on video games are becoming more and more common nowadays, but they are also particularly difficult to execute well.
Titles like Assassin’s Creed fell flat, and the numerous Mortal Kombat adaptations over the years ranged from poorly made to lukewarm. In the past few years, few video game-based films have managed to excel, bar the record-breaking earnings made by The Super Mario Bros. Movie in 2023, and the most acclaimed gaming-based film in recent years is based on a tabletop game — 2023’s Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.
Aside from looking at films based on video games, however, recent developments in the gaming industry have urged gamers and moviegoers alike to approach the question from a new angle. Recently, many movie and pop culture IPs have made their way into video games. One such video game is Call of Duty (CoD), which recently announced a lineup of new in-game skins based on iconic horror movie characters. In this post, we’ll look at why the Call of Duty franchise is embracing pop culture and some horror must-watches based on the new CoD skins:
The Call of Duty franchise and pop culture
To be clear, Call of Duty is not necessarily new to cinema. Since the first CoD title in 2003, the games have featured notable film actors and their likenesses in their campaigns. This includes appearances from actor Kevin Spacey in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and some voice acting work from action star Jason Statham in the first-ever Call of Duty title.
The Call of Duty franchise further embraces and cements its place in popular culture through its active esports community, which keeps the game alive in between new releases. Today, CoD fans enjoy attending, watching, and even betting on official Call of Duty tournaments and games. Aside from being a great way to find a deeper appreciation for the esport title, fans also like to place bets on their favorite teams and players to become more immersed in the scene. Betting platform Thunderpick allows fans to pursue Call of Duty betting in a completely digital way, as it supports reliable crypto betting via its partnership with RockWallet, enabling a fast and secure multi-asset self-custodial wallet. CoD fans can use the platform to watch Call of Duty League (CDL) games where popular teams like Atlanta FaZe and OpTic Texas battle it out for significant winnings and championship bragging rights. As such, it makes sense that as a popular esports title, Call of Duty strives to retain relevance by collaborating with pop culture properties.
Meanwhile, the new horror movie-themed CoD skins aren’t the first time the CoD games have incorporated elements of pop culture. Recent in-game skins have included hip-hop icons like Nicki Minaj and Snoop Dogg, as well as other movie-related characters from The Dark Knight, Kill Bill, and Fight Club. Below, we’ll be sharing some horror film recommendations based on these new CoD skins:
Halloween (2018)
One of the most instantly recognizable skins in the new collection is slasher icon Michael Myers, who hails from the Halloween franchise. While the typical film recommendation here would be for you to watch the original from 1978, another great entry in the Halloween franchise is the 2018 sequel directed by David Gordon Green. The eleventh title in the Halloween film series chooses to ignore much of the lore built over the years and acts as an almost direct sequel to the original movie by John Carpenter. An aged, traumatized, and well-trained Laurie Strode faces the looming dread of unkillable brother Michael Myers and his iconic white mask — and slasher gore ensues.
Terrifier (2018)
Another skin that stands out is Art the Clown, the monochromatic-clad deranged killer clown that led to audiences throwing up and leaving theaters feeling sick. The Terrifier movies certainly aren’t for everyone and are R-rated for a reason. They are so R-rated, in fact, that producers and studios even tried pleading with director Damien Leone to tone down the gore — to no avail. Art the Clown’s arrival in Call of Duty is a great way to build hype for the upcoming sequel, Terrifier 3, set for an October 11 release. While it’ll be hard to imagine what sick, creative ways to kill the psycho-slash-supernatural clown has cooked up, we can be sure it’ll be nothing short of traumatizing for viewers in theaters and at home.
Trick ‘r Treat (2007)
Art the Clown’s CoD cameo may come as a surprise due to the killer clown’s indie roots. However, the next notable Call of Duty skin comes from even more niche roots. Sam is a sinister trick-or-treater with a burlap sack over his head. Trick ‘r Treat stands out in this list as a cult classic and the only horror anthology film. If you haven’t had the chance to see the horrors that Sam is capable of, you can check out Trick ‘r Treat‘s 4K restoration from Arrow Video set for release in the US, UK, and Canada. The 4K release will include a ton of bonus content, including archival audio commentaries, interviews, and behind-the-scenes looks at the little-known classic Halloween film.
If horror isn’t your cup of tea, you may want to check out documentaries about the video game niche. These are insightful looks into the various aspects of the video game niche, from passionate record-breakers to behind-the-scenes looks into the growing esports industry. In a previous post, we highlighted Galaga’s champion scorer, Jordan Dorrington, and his new quest in Arcade Gamer: The True Story, in which the reigning Galaga champion aims to challenge the Donkey Kong record. The film was an entertaining look at the obsession for in-game glory and a look at notable arcades and the world of arcade gaming.
