Hollywood seems to have finally cracked the secret to a successful video game adaptation. The overwhelmingly positive response to projects like The Last of Us and The Super Mario Bros. Movie hints that the business is taking the time to understand what works from each video game property instead of taking a uniform approach to adapt them.
Now, audiences are hopeful that future video game adaptations will follow suit, thus providing the perfect opportunity for their favorite IPs to receive the Hollywood treatment. Fans on Reddit have several suggestions of video games that would excel as movies, and many might already be halfway there.
10 'Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic' (2003-)
The Star Wars universe is going through a weird time, but there's potential to take it back to the apex of pop culture. The Knights of the Old Republic series might be the way to do it, with the video games set 4000 before the prequels and following a Jedi fighting against a powerful Sith Lord.
Redditor TG-Sucks praises Knights of the Old Republic, considering it "an interesting time period and fascinating setting for a Star Wars movie." The game is already cinematic enough, and its sequels have received similar critical and fan praise, meaning it would go into live-action with a considerable audience and more than enough goodwill.
9 'Grim Fandango' (1998)
Grim Fandango is a 1998 adventure game published by LucasArts. Set in the Land of the Dead, the game revolves around agent Manny Calavera, who tries to guide new arrival Mercedes Colomar on her journey to her final destination. The game borrows heavily from Aztec mythology and Mexico's Day of the Dead.
Reddit user greg225 wishes for a Grim Fandango adaptation "if they made it a stop-motion animated film like The Nightmare Before Christmas or Coraline." A since-deleted account also mentions how Disney owns the rights to the game, providing the perfect opportunity for an adaptation, especially after Coco's success. There have already been several great and spooky stop-motion movies, and Grim Fandango would be a perfect addition to their canon.
8 'Killzone' (2004-2013)
Killzone is set in the 24th century and chronicles the intergalactic war between the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance and the Helghan Empire. Each of the four games features a new protagonist and explores new sides to the conflict.
Many fans on Reddit believe this to be a perfect series for a movie franchise. For example, one user states they were "surprised at how in-depth the lore and story was." DrReginaldCatPuncher thinks Killzone "would be a great action film in itself" even without the series' "political thoughts." Indeed, Killzone can potentially become one of the all-time great space operas in the vein of Star Wars.
7 'Half-Life' (1998-)
The first-person shooter Half-Life combines combat with considerable strategy by including puzzles and intricate storytelling. The first entry, 1998's Half-Life, centers on scientist Gordon Freeman as he attempts to escape the Black Mesa Research Facility after it gets swarmed by alien forces.
A since-deleted account thinks Half-Life would be a great movie and suggests "Edward Norton or the guy that played Dr. House" as potential options for Freeman. However, another deleted account thinks a film featuring Freeman would be hard to translate to live action and instead proposes a movie "following the Seven Hour War."
6 'Hotline Miami' (2012-2015)
The 2012 video game Hotline Miami follows a silent protagonist nicknamed "Jacket" by fans. The stealthy and violent vigilante performs brutal attacks against the local Russian mafia prompted by anonymous messages on his answering machine in 1989 Miami.
"We need a Hotline Miami movie," says Redditor DownplayRev, while fellow user Shazaamism327 goes so far as to say they've "always dreamed of a joint John Wick-Payday-Hotline Miami universe." Cinema has produced some all-time great action movies, and a film adaptation of Hotline Miami has the potential to join this prestigious group.
5 'Heavy Rain' (2010)
Critically acclaimed for its gripping and twisting narrative, Heavy Rain is among the most celebrated video games of the 21st century. The story centers on four protagonists who become involved with the dangerous and elusive Origami Killer, who drowns his victims during periods of extreme rain.
Heavy Rain is famous for its cinematic approach, making it a no-brainer for a film adaptation; Redditor Jesse_Allen3 even considers it "basically like an interactive movie." A film version of Heavy Rain could be among the best thrillers of the 21st century if done right; a director like David Fincher could do wonders with the IP, given its tone and themes.
4 'Earthbound' (1994)
The Mother series played a vital role in Nintendo's rise to critical and commercial success. The series' second entry, Earthbound, features a wildly creative and somewhat challenging narrative revolving around Ness and his friends traveling across realms collecting melodies to defeat the alien destroyer Giygas.
A since-deleted account thinks "Earthbound would make for a great, quirky sci-fi series on Netflix," while another deleted account prefers a movie with a retro "50s/60s sci-fi kind of vibe." Earthbound's narrative and scope would be challenging to translate into live-action, but a talented-enough filmmaking team could pull it off.
3 'Kingdom Hearts' (2002-)
Square Enix's beloved series Kingdom Hearts is so famous and celebrated that it's hard to believe it hasn't received the movie treatment yet. A massive crossover between Disney and Square Enix's IPs, the plot concerns the main character Sora and his numerous encounters with Disney characters across a fictional universe.
A since-deleted account thinks the movie would work best if it stuck with "adapting the first and second games, as opposed to the wider mythology." Indeed, Kingdom Hearts' lore is vast and convoluted, explaining why it's taken Disney so long to consider translating it into the big screen. However, now seems to be the perfect time to do it, especially because there's a large audience asking for it.
2 'Metroid' (1986-)
Metroid is one of Nintendo's flagship franchises. The plot revolves around bounty hunter Samus Aran as she travels the universe fighting Space Pirates and preventing their continuous efforts to harness the power of the titular parasitic creatures.
"What could make a Metroid movie really unique," begins Redditor HelloImRame, "is how Samus is by herself almost the whole time." Wugo_Heaving thinks the games already have "a mood similar to Tarkovsky's films like Solaris and Stalker," making it ideal for a big-screen adaptation. A Metroid movie could also experiment with genres, playing up the franchise's sense of dread and mystery to deliver one of the best sci-fi horror movies of the 21st century.
1 'Mass Effect' (2007-)
Few video game franchises are as perfect for a blockbuster adaptation as BioWare's Mass Effect. The trilogy follows Commander Shephard, who tries to warn the galaxy of the impending threat of the Reapers, ancient sentient starships that have awakened from a long slumber.
With a compelling story, memorable characters, and massive stakes, Mass Effect is a cinematic trilogy waiting to happen. Redditor InCymba thinks the series is enough to "build over [seven] movies in chronological order with characters coming and going as required." However, the movie could be hard to pull off, considering Mass Effect is an RPG with a strong emphasis on player choices regarding Shephard's characterization. As Crayshack points out, "Everyone has a different perception of who Shephard is as a character. Any movie version will inevitably have some people saying, 'That's not Shephard.'"