Popular video game franchises have inspired movies across action, horror, fantasy and animation.
Films such as Sonic The Hedgehog and Uncharted bring familiar gaming characters to cinema.
These adaptations introduce beloved gaming worlds to longtime players and new audiences.
The evolution of video games has led them to surpass the arcade and home console formats to find themselves on the silver screen in many successful franchise-based movies. Such movies feature the familiar game characters and worlds but may include new storylines designed to captivate movie audiences.
From animated adventures to horror films and action thrillers, here are 12 video games that made the jump from controller to cinema:
Nintendo's legendary plumber got an animated movie on the big screen in 2023. The movie tells the story of Mario and Luigi as they travel through the Mushroom Kingdom.
Here, Mario becomes partners with Princess Peach to save the day from the notorious Bowser. It is full of recognizable characters and references to gaming.
A mystery detective fantasy, where Tim Goodman together with talking Pikachu investigates his father's disappearance. Pikachu is voiced by Ryan Reynolds and adds comedy to the plot. It is interesting to see how life could be if Pokémon existed among humans.
An animated and live-action movie featuring SEGA's fast hedgehog. Sonic makes friends with a local sheriff while evading the evil genius, Dr Robotnik (Jim Carrey). The movie combines comedy, action and some references to gaming.
Lara Croft (Alicia Vikander), in search of answers regarding her father's disappearance, embarks on a dangerous journey. It is inspired by 2013's Tomb Raider video game and features a series of adventures, mysteries and survival.
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Taking cues from Capcom's survival horror video games, Resident Evil is an action-thriller about Alice as she tries to discover what caused an outbreak of zombies inside a laboratory. Zombies, creatures, and action sequences made the Resident Evil a successful movie franchise.
This fantasy action-thriller is set within Blizzard Entertainment's video game universe where humans clash against orcs. The film features magic, battles, mythical creatures and the rich mythology of the Warcraft universe.
In this adventure film, Tom Holland plays the role of Nathan Drake who goes on an adventure to uncover a treasure along with Victor Sullivan played by Mark Wahlberg.
The fighting game franchise finds itself brought to life in the form of a movie with supernatural warriors, intense fights and recognizable characters. This film focuses on Cole Young as he learns about his connection to a tournament.
With inspiration drawn from racing video games as well as the true story of Jann Mardenborough, this movie revolves around a gamer who transforms his skill for virtual races into becoming a successful motor sport competitor.
The movie is based on a popular horror video game, featuring a man who becomes a night-shift security guard for a deserted family entertainment center. There he witnesses strange events involving live animatronics.
In this movie Jake Gyllenhaal stars as a prince who acquires a powerful dagger that can help him control time. The movie is inspired by the action-adventure video game produced by Ubisoft.
This adventurous movie features Jason Momoa and Jack Black and takes viewers into the world of Minecraft where the main characters go through the Overworld.
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From the colorful realm of Mario to the terrifying universe of Resident Evil, here are some examples of how video games provide many different storylines for the movie industry. Even if not all movies make all long-time gamers happy, successful adaptations will help introduce these well-known series to a whole new audience.
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1.What are video game adaptations?
Video game adaptations are movies based on existing games, featuring familiar characters, settings and storylines while sometimes introducing new plots to appeal to a wider audience.
2.Which video game movie was released in 2025?
A Minecraft Movie was released in 2025, bringing the popular sandbox game's block-shaped world to cinemas with an adventure starring Jason Momoa and Jack Black.
3.Which video game movie features Ryan Reynolds?
Pokémon Detective Pikachu features Ryan Reynolds as the voice of Pikachu, who teams up with Tim Goodman to investigate his father's disappearance in a mystery adventure.
4.Is Tomb Raider based on a video game?
Yes, Tomb Raider is based on the popular video game franchise featuring Lara Croft. The 2018 film stars Alicia Vikander as the adventurous archaeologist searching for her missing father.
5.Why are video games adapted into movies?
Video games offer established characters, imaginative worlds and dedicated fanbases. Filmmakers adapt them into movies to reach wider audiences and transform interactive adventures into cinematic storytelling experiences.