Hollywood Video Game Adaptations Will Collapse Like The Superhero Genre?
The long-time gamer in me is enjoying some of the most recent video game adaptations we are all witnessing. There is a good feeling about every new adaptation announced, unlike in the past when we feared the news and were heavily against those creative choices. Superhero fatigue may be in full force, but I’m certain that not only is the video game adaptation Hollywood boom here to stay, but it’s only going to get better.
Hollywood’s Track Record
Hollywood’s track record of bringing beloved video games to the big or small screens has been abysmal. Remember the Super Mario Bros film from 1993? Neither do I.
However, there has been a recent wave of quality adaptations, such as Sonic the Hedgehog, and the new Mario film, not to mention the Last of Us TV series.
These titles have certainly sparked some hope, but what does the future hold?
Last Of Us A Recent Hit
We have already witnessed the beautiful, grim, post-apocalyptic world of The Last of Us. This particular video game adaptation turned TV series won the hearts of many thanks to staying true to the game’s story.
We can all express our thanks to Neil Druckmann, who was involved in creating the HBO series.
Sonic The Hedgehog And The Witcher
Another successful example is Sonic the Hedgehog, which has been a staple video game hero since the ‘90s. The film premiered in 2020 to critical and commercial success. It was praised for its stunning visuals, acting, and overall story.
However, there is more to video game adaptations than to following the story, but some creative choices have steered adaptation towards failure. Take The Witcher for example.
The Witcher is a video game adaptation TV series that is a critical failure, simply because it does not follow a certain story of the game.
Fallout A Success
The new Fallout series is based on a video game. The show takes from the game franchise’s post-apocalyptic universe, unique retro-futuristic aesthetic, and dark humor, but the story is brand new.
When it comes to video game adaptations, there is a story for everyone.
This allows Hollywood to jump into a wider range of stories to adapt, keeping things fresh for the audience.
Bioshock Is Coming
The Bioshock adaptation is bound to happen, whether in movie or TV format. It has a complex story that explores free will alongside societal collapse in an underwater dystopia.
The possibilities are endless. Hollywood needs to focus on adapting games from different genres. This is sure to create over-saturation, just like what we are witnessing now when it comes to Superhero movies.
No matter what hero you base your story on, the formula is the same. We don’t need another Batman movie, what we need is an Aloy film from the Horizon video games.
Borderlands And Minecraft
The video game adaptation golden era hasn’t even started yet and we are far away from the collapse that the superhero genre is experiencing.
Even this year, we have the Borderlands film coming out, alongside the Minecraft film, while video game fans will be treated to a new Tomb Raider TV series.
As I said before, so much more is coming up, and there is no way this wave of quality adaptations will stop or feel exhaustive to the audience. We have been waiting for this for so long, and it is time to shine.
