Over the years there have been many popular stand alone video games and video game series that have been released. When outstanding games become so popular, some proceed to the next step by being transformed into action-filled, entertaining films. But one common theme of video game movies is that some don’t turn out as well as everyone hoped they would. Most of them treat the games as a vague reference point, which results in an underwhelming movie that not only disappoints the video game fans, but also the average moviegoer.
However, some adaptations have managed to deliver an interesting take on their source material, giving satisfactory results for everyone. Here are just some of the most popular video games that became movies and also some box office hits that ended up on video consoles too.
Hitman (2007)
An assassin known as Agent 47 is hired by an organization, but while completing his tasks, he finds himself in a political takeover that results in a manhunt as Russian and Interpol agents go after his head. There have been a couple of Hitman films over the years, with Hitman: Agent 47 (2015) argued to be slightly better. However, this installment directed by Xavier Gens is still just as action packed and entertaining as the game franchise. As such a popular game series, the video game company still continues to release new games, the recent being Hitman 2 that was praised as one of the most rewarding games in the video game series.
Assassin’s Creed (2016)
Instead of adapting one of the Assassin’s Creed storylines from the game, this movie instead features an original story that expanded the series’ mythology. The film centers around an assassin that ties to an ancestor who lived during the 15th century. Even though the film has an all star cast including Michael Fassbender, Jeremy Irons, and Marion Cotillard, some felt that the film was greatly detached from the storylines that the game franchise features.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
For its time, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider was a high budget movie at around $115 million, but thanks to the renowned actress Angelina Jolie and director Simon West, it was able to rake in over $275 million. Its sequel, Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003) wasn’t as successful, but the 2018 reboot Tomb Raider with actress Alicia Vikander managed to give both the video game fans and film fans an entertaining film to watch.
Resident Evil (2002)
The Resident Evil game inspired many movies, but when it comes to referencing the video game, the 2002 release takes the crown. This 2002 film was the first out of six Resident Evil movies starring Milla Jovovich as Alice. Resident Evil (2002) involves a deadly virus that has been released by an evil corporation which turns people and animals into zombies forcing the supercomputer’s AI to lock down the lab to prevent it from spreading. What lies ahead is what makes this movie a masterpiece.
Popular Video Games Based on Movies
Over the years there have also been many popular video games that have been turned into movies such as Silent Hill, Warcraft, Pokemon, and even Angry Birds. There have also been a lot of popular online slot games based on movies too, like Ted and Anchorman. Well-known movies like Ghostbusters and Spider-Man 2 have also become thrilling video games that have been released on platforms such as Xbox, PlayStation, GameCube and many more.
Ghostbusters
This video game is an interesting one for two primary reasons. First, it was developed by most of the same people who made the movies, including voice acting and second, it tells a story that’s actually a continuation of the movies, making it essentially Ghostbusters 3.
Spider-Man 2
Released in 2004, Spider-Man 2 was one of the best open-world games on PlayStation 2, thanks to its swinging mechanic. It was really fun to swing through Manhattan’s skyscrapers, taking in the sights and stopping to fight crime. There have been other great Spider-Man games including the latest one on PlayStation 4, but the second title stands to be the best in terms of being movie-based.
