The phrase ‘strike while the iron’s hot’ is very relevant these days. Whenever something is a success, people capitalise on it and try to make as much money from it as they can while it’s still popular. This is very much true for movies and video games. If a film does particularly well at the box office, there’s a very good chance there will be games based on it. Likewise, if a video game does well, it could end up being developed into a film.
Here’s a look at five movies and movie franchises that have received video games based on them and vice versa. Check them out and if any of them appeal to you, watch or play them and see if you like them.
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
Back in 2009, Avatar was released. The sci-fi epic from James Cameron went on to become the world’s highest-grossing movie (not adjusted for inflation), with a gross of over $2.9 billion. Its astounding success surprised a lot of people since it was a brand-new story not based on any pre-existing source material.
After many delays, Avatar: The Way of Water came out in 2022 and ended up becoming the third highest-grossing movie ever, earning more than $2.3 billion. Three sequels are currently planned with more possibly coming further down the line.
Naturally, there have been some video games set in the Avatar universe. Avatar: The Game was released in 2009 and in late 2023, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora became available to play. Though the second game gained mixed reviews, it still managed to attract a few million players and has generated over $133 million in revenue.
With at least three movie sequels on their way, there will no doubt be even more Avatar games to come. They might not be based on the films, but they’ll expand the universe and give people plenty of reasons to play.
A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead
There are currently three movies in the A Quiet Place series: two main series titles and a spin-off. Together, the three have grossed over $900 million worldwide and have earned a lot of positive reviews. The films are set in an apocalyptic world inhabited by vicious blind creatures that have a heightened sense of hearing.
Given the success of the first two instalments, a video game adaptation, A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead, was announced. While it was confirmed in 2021, it didn’t come out until October 2024. While it’s set in the same world as the trio of films, it features a new storyline and a host of new characters.
Jumanji: The Video Game
Jumanji is a series of four movies about people who play enchanted board games that introduce dangerous themed elements to the real world. The three Jumanji films have a jungle theme, while the other one, Zathura, follows the same premise but is mostly set in outer space.
Jumanji: The Video Game came out in 2019 and is based on the second and third Jumanji movies. These are Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) and Jumanji: The Next Level (2019). The video game invites you and up to three friends to take on challenges together and complete its action-packed quest to recover some jewels and save the realm. You can also play solo, with AI characters joining you.
Detective Pikachu
Pokemon, the world’s biggest media franchise, started as a pair of video games, Pokemon Red and Pokemon Green. They came out in Japan in 1996 and since then over two dozen main series titles have followed; there have also been many spin-offs.
The video games were such a success that they spawned a long-running anime show and a series of movies. From 1998-2020, a total of 23 animated Pokemon movies came out. Detective Pikachu, which came out in 2019, is a separate movie. It’s a live-action version of the spin-off game of the same name, which was released back in 2016.
The Detective Pikachu video game received a spin-off, Detective Pikachu Returns, in 2023. There’s a good chance that the movie will get a sequel too, especially considering it was the highest-grossing video game adaptation until Super Mario Bros (2023) came out.
Alien: Isolation
Back in 1979, the movie Alien was released. This sci-fi/horror film was a major success both critically and commercially, starting a franchise that now includes nine movies along with an upcoming TV show and web series. It’s also spawned dozens of video games, one of the best known of which is Alien: Isolation.
While it’s set 15 years after the original Alien film, it draws a lot of inspiration from it and even includes some scenes from it in downloadable content packs. The makers wanted it to be just as atmospheric, creepy and tense as the first movie in the series, unlike the later instalments which involve more action.
Alien: Isolation won several awards and has even been named one of the best video games ever made. A sequel is currently in development, though it’s not certain whether it will have an original storyline or be based on a plot from one of the movies.
Online Casino Games
We’ve looked at a few major movies that have had video games based on them, as well as one video game that’s gone on to inspire a movie. You may be surprised to learn that some online casino games – slots in particular – are inspired by movies.
These are known as ‘branded’ slots. Many players find them appealing because they’re based on films they’ve seen and enjoyed. Some examples of slots that recreate movies include Jurassic World Raptor Riches, Ted Megaways, Highlander, Terminator 2 and Rambo. These typically include some of their respective movie’s main characters and are designed to bring the world of the movie to life. They do this by using detailed graphics, animations and sound effects. Movie-based slots aren’t too common, but if you come across some, they’re worth checking out. Some of them even allow users to play without registering, which makes it much easier for the average person to give them a shot!
