From Gaming to Hollywood

Console to Cinema "A Quick History of Games-to-Screen Adaptations"

For decades, Hollywood has tried to crack the code of turning video games into compelling films and TV shows. What started with awkward experiments in the 1990s has grown into blockbuster franchises, streaming sensations, and award-winning storytelling.

Some adaptations are legendary, others infamous, and many fall somewhere in between. Let’s take a short journey through the history of game-to-screen adaptations, from the early flops to the modern hits, and try to see what’s next for gamers and moviegoers alike.

🎬 The First Wave: Game-to-Movie Experiments (1990s–2000s)

The early 1990s marked the birth of video game adaptations on the big screen. Hollywood saw gaming’s growing popularity and wanted in, but the results were… mixed.

• Super Mario Bros. (1993') – The very first live-action adaptation. Instead of bright Mushroom Kingdom fun, fans got a dark, bizarre cyberpunk nightmare that confused audiences and critics alike.

• Street Fighter (1994') – More campy than faithful, but Raul Julia’s final on screen performance as M. Bison remains iconic.

• Mortal Kombat (1995') – The first true success story. It leaned into the game’s cheesiness with flashy martial arts and an unforgettable techno soundtrack.

• Tomb Raider (2001') – Angelina Jolie became the face of Lara Croft and proved that gaming icons could headline Hollywood blockbusters.

  
  

At the same time, animated films tied to games started finding success, most notably with Pokémon: The First Movie (1998'), which drew massive crowds of kids and collectors. This first wave showed potential but also revealed Hollywood’s lack of understanding of what made games special.

🎥 Building a Library: Theatrical Game Movies

Over the years, we’ve seen about 52 theatrical game-to-movie releases in the U.S., and over 100 worldwide if you include anime, direct-to-video, and international productions to date.

Some became cult favorites. Others sank without a trace. Here are the ones for better or worse, that have seemed to stand out the most.

• Super Mario Bros. (1993')

• Street Fighter (1994')

• Mortal Kombat (1995') 

• Tomb Raider (2001') 

• Resident Evil (2002') 

• Doom (2005')

• Silent Hill (2006') 

• Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010') 

• Warcraft (2016') 

• Sonic the Hedgehog (2020') 

• Assassin’s Creed (2016')

• Detective Pikachu (2019') 

• Uncharted (2022')

• The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023') 

📺 The Rise of TV & Streaming Adaptations

While films struggled, TV and streaming unlocked new opportunities. Games often need more time to breathe, and episodic storytelling gave them just that.

There are now 20–30 notable series based on video games, from anime to live-action.

• The Last of Us (HBO) – A faithful, emotional masterpiece that broke the “game adaptation curse.”

• Fallout (Amazon) – A post-apocalyptic hit with both fans and newcomers.

• Arcane (Netflix) – A stunning League of Legends prequel with Emmy wins.

• Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (Netflix) – Gritty and heartbreaking, praised for reviving interest in the game itself.

• Castlevania (Netflix) – Helped prove that animation is a perfect fit for game adaptations.

• Twisted Metal (Peacock) – Surprisingly entertaining for fans of chaotic car combat.

• Pokémon (since 1997') – Still the most iconic and longest-running game-to-screen franchise.

  
  

Streaming has proving that games could be adapted with the care, budget, and runtime they deserve, ushering in a new golden age of adaptations.

📊 The Numbers Game

• 52 theatrical releases (U.S. box office tracked).

• 60+ feature films total, when including international productions.

• Over 100 adaptations if you count anime and direct-to-video.

• 20–30 notable TV/streaming shows (live-action and animated).

And the list keeps growing....

🚀 The Future of Games on Screen

With streaming giants and Hollywood studios chasing the next big thing, the future is packed with upcoming adaptations:

• Borderlands (film)

• Minecraft (film)

• Call of Duty (film)

• Street Fighter (film)

• Mortal Kombat 2 (film)

• Shinobi (film)

• KingMakers (film)

• Knuckles (Paramount+ series)

• Gears of War (Netflix, in development)

• God of War (Amazon, in development)

  
  

Games may very well become the comic books of Hollywood. A constant source of new worlds, characters, and fandoms to adapt.

🎮Our Final Conclusion

From the messy charm of Mortal Kombat (1995') to the brilliance of The Last of Us (2023'), game adaptations have come a long way. What was once a punchline is now a genuine powerhouse of entertainment.

💬 Now it’s your turn! 

What’s your favorite or least favorite game adaptation? And which game do you think deserves a movie or series next? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and let’s build the ultimate community ranking together.

Live-Action & Hybrid Blockbusters

• Early Classics to 2000s

  • Super Mario Bros. (1993')

  • Double Dragon (1994')

  • Street Fighter (1994')

  • Mortal Kombat (1995'); Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997')

  • Wing Commander (1999')

  • Tomb Raider (2001') & Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life (2003')

  • Resident Evil (2002'), Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004')

  • House of the Dead (2003'), Alone in the Dark (2005')

  • Doom (2005'), BloodRayne (2006')

  • DOA: Dead or Alive (2006')

  • Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010')

  • Hitman (2007'), Max Payne (2008')

  • Far Cry (2008')

  • Assassin’s Creed (2016')

  • Warcraft (2016')

  • Monster Hunter (2020')

  • Tetris (2023')

  • Uncharted (2022')

  • Gran Turismo (2023')

  • Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023')

  • Borderlands (2024')

  • Sonic the Hedgehog (2020'), Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022'), Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024')

    
    

• Recent Additions

  • Werewolves Within (2021')

  • The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023')

  • Detective Pikachu (2019')

  • Until Dawn (2025') - Adaptation of the PlayStation horror game.

    
    

Animated Features & Adaptations

• Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001'), Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (2005')

• Resident Evil: Degeneration, Damnation, Vendetta, etc.

• Moshi Monsters: The Movie

• Heavenly Sword (2006')

• Ratchet & Clank (2016')

• The Angry Birds Movie (2016') & sequel Angry Birds Movie 2

• Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV (2016')

• Pokémon anime movies (e.g., The First Movie, Movie 2000, Mewtwo Returns, Lucario, etc.)

• Detective Pikachu (2019') blending animation and live-action

  
  

TV & Streaming Series Adaptations

Animated Series

• Arcane (League of Legends, Netflix)

• Castlevania (Netflix)

• Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (Netflix)

• The Cuphead Show! (Netflix)

• MegaMan NT Warrior (Anime)

• Sonic Prime (Netflix)

• Long-running Pokémon animated series

  
  

Live-Action & Hybrid Series

• The Last of Us (HBO)

• Fallout (Amazon Prime)

• Resident Evil (Netflix)

• Twisted Metal (Peacock)

• Halo (Paramount+)

• Gangs of London (inspired by game, live-action)

• Knuckles (Paramount+, Sonic spin-off)

  
  

Upcoming or In-Development Projects

• Tomb Raider (live-action series, Amazon)

• Wolfenstein TV series (Amazon Prime)

• God of War, Mass Effect (in development at Amazon)

  
  

📽️ Movies

Era	Live-Action / Hybrid Films	Animated Films & Specials
1990s	Super Mario Bros. (1993'), Double Dragon (1994'), Street Fighter (1994'), Mortal Kombat (1995'), Wing Commander (1999')	Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie (OVA, 1996')
2000s	Tomb Raider (2001', 2003'), Resident Evil series (2002'–2016'), House of the Dead (2003'), Doom (2005'), BloodRayne (2006'), DOA: Dead or Alive (2006'), Hitman (2007'), Max Payne (2008'), Far Cry (2008'), Prince of Persia (2010')	Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001'), Advent Children (2005'), Resident Evil: Degeneration (2008')
2010s	Warcraft (2016'), Assassin’s Creed (2016'), Detective Pikachu (2019')	Angry Birds Movie (2016', 2019'), Ratchet & Clank (2016'), Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV (2016')
2020s	Sonic the Hedgehog (2020', 2022', 2024'), Monster Hunter (2020'), Uncharted (2022'), Gran Turismo (2023'), Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023'), Borderlands (2024')	The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023')

📺 TV & Streaming Series

Format	Examples
Animated	Arcane (LoL, Netflix), Castlevania (Netflix), Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (Netflix), The Cuphead Show! (Netflix), Pokémon series, Sonic Prime (Netflix)
Live-Action	The Last of Us (HBO), Resident Evil (Netflix), Twisted Metal (Peacock), Halo (Paramount+), Fallout (Amazon), Knuckles (Paramount+)
In Development	Tomb Raider (Amazon), Wolfenstein (Amazon), God of War (Amazon), Mass Effect (Amazon)