Last Updated on August 3, 2021
#1 – THE LEGEND OF ZELDA
The Holy Grail of video game adaptations, THE LEGEND OF ZELDA is once again Nintendo failing to strike while the iron is hot. Even decades after it was initially released, the ZELDA franchise continues to inspire and entertain in ways that few series can. Like SUPER MARIO BROS, ZELDA could work as live action or animation, but the key is that it just needs to get made.
#2 – DIABLO
One of my favorite video game franchises, DIABLO is the right mix of fantasy and horror, a combination we have yet to see fully realized on the big screen. The most recent DIABLO game was a massive hit and while it followed the more interactive cinema experience trend in recent games, it is still a good starting point to adapt for the big screen.
#3 – METROID
Nintendo again fails to capitalize on their proprietary brands by not developing a METROID movie. Not only do you have a cool visual in Samus’ trademark armor, but you also have a female action hero in a medium that is sorely lacking in them. The key to making it work would be to hold back on the CGI and make it feel as real as possible. Maybe someone like Alfonso Cuaron could take it on.
#4 – SKYRIM
A dark, fantasy action epic? Yeah, we need another one of these. While LORD OF THE RINGS is all well and good, there have not been many films that have been able to replicate the grandeur and depth of that franchise. SKYRIM and it’s predecessor OBLIVION are great titles that have a developed backstory that could make for a damn fine movie franchise.
#5 – CASTLEVANIA
At this point, you may see a trend in my selections for this list. CASTLEVANIA, another 80s classic, has a set narrative in place that could be adapted more easily than contemporary video games because it was mostly 8-bit graphics and text on screen. The cinematic element was not there yet which means a movie could be fresh and unique. There have been rumblings of a CASTLEVANIA movie for years, but it needs to be of higher caliber than VAN HELSING to be successful.
#6 – BIOSHOCK
Another video game adaptation that should have been an easy one that somehow is stuck in development hell. Juan Carlos Fresnadillo and Gore Verbinski were both involved at one point but as the budget ballooned the project was scrapped. With the recent BIOSHOCK INFINITE offering a completely distinct visual setting from the original, there are now two possible directions you could take a feature film. Hell, why not have the creative team come up with a third, original option, and make that into a movie? The concept of The Rapture is too good not to adapt.
#7 – MEGA MAN
Another iconic game from the 1980s, MEGA MAN could easily be a family friendly animated movie or a very cool ROBOCOP for kids. Amazingly, there has never been a feature film in Japan starring the little blue dude. The mediocre ASTRO BOY movie from a few years ago may make people hesitant to adapt MEGA MAN, but in the hands of the right filmmakers it could be damn good.
#8 – SUPER MARIO BROS
I don’t care if it is fully animated or live action, we deserve a true to the game adaptation of Nintendo’s classic. We have had cartoon series and countless fan creations on YouTube that prove there is fertile ground to make a feature length adventure starring those pesky plumbers.
#9 – GRAND THEFT AUTO
While the recent chapters of the GTA franchise have been interactive movies in their own right, the first games are still ripe for big screen adaptation. Specifically, the London games that take place in the 1960s. Can you imagine how cool it would be to see a car heist movie set in a throwback period rather than a contemporary setting? Get Guy Ritchie to direct it and you have an awesome movie.
#10 – KINGDOM HEARTS
It is hard to put Mickey Mouse into a game with a serious tone, but Square manages to do it with the brilliant KINGDOM HEARTS. Like EPIC MICKEY, KINGDOM HEARTS is able to keep the Disney magic alive while telling a more intense story. This may be too intense for young kids, but with Disney aiming for the teen and early 20s market with their Marvel products, this would be a great candidate for an epic live action/animated franchise on the big screen.
Honorable Mention – HALO
HALO has been in development for years with names like Peter Jackson and Neil Blomkamp attached to direct, but Microsoft opted instead to develop a web series with Steven Spielberg producing. While this Xbox exclusive series may have nice production values, nothing will take the place of what a big budget studio blockbuster could accomplish with the HALO franchise.
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