Witcher, Resident Evil and other games that led to big Hollywood movies, series | Tech News

Witcher, Resident Evil and other games that led to big Hollywood movies, series

Released by Walt Disney Pictures in 2010, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was adapted from the video game series of the same name.

By: HT CORRESPONDENT
| Updated on: Aug 20 2022, 19:40 IST
Did you know these Hollywood movies were based on video games?
Did you know these Hollywood movies were based on video games? (Netfix)
Did you know these Hollywood movies were based on video games?
Did you know these Hollywood movies were based on video games? (Netfix)

The Witcher is being hailed by many as one of the best live-action adaptation of a video game. Released in December last year on Netflix, the show became a fan favourite.

Starring 'Superman' Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, the show is already prepping for its second season. Although the medieval saga was applauded for the storyline and performances of the cast, rebranding video games as movies or series is not a new practice.

Here is a list of some notable games that were adapted for cinema

Resident Evil

The survival horror movie franchise starring Milla Jovovich is probably one of the most successful game adaptations of all time. The films follow Alice (Jovovich) steering her way through a zombie apocalypse-hit area. Alice is a former security specialist and covert operative. The character was not there in the original game series and has been created for the movies.

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

The action-adventure video game series debuted in 1996 and has gone through evolution in terms of design and resolution. The games inspired the Angelina Jolie-led 2001 movie of the same name that did quite well in the box office. It saw a 2003 sequel called Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life where Jolie reprise her popular role. The 2013 version of the game was also made into a film in 2018 starring Swedish actress Alicia Vikander in the lead role.

Mortal Kombat

The martial arts video game series has been recreated many a times. Other than the big screen adaptation, Mortal Kombat has been remade as animated films, short films, web series as well as television series. Perhaps the most popular of the adaptations was the 1995 film which saw a sequel being made in 1997. There were two spin-off television series, Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm and Mortal Kombat: Conquest.

Assassin's Creed

Ubisoft's hugely popular stealth game series saw a live-action adaptation being made in 2016. Headed by Michael Fassbender, the movie, however, proved to be a box office failure. Fassbender played Callum 'Cal' Lynch, a character who is a descendant of the Assassins and was created only for the movie.

Warcraft

Warcraft: The Beginning was directed by BAFTA-winning director Duncan Jones. Released in 2016, Warcraft managed to gross $439 million worldwide, thereby surpassing Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time as the highest-grossing video game adaptation of all time. Despite garnering a lukewarm response in the US, it grossed money from the Chinese market.

 

Prince of Persia

Released by Walt Disney Pictures in 2010, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was adapted from the video game series of the same name. The movie starred big stars such as Jake Gyllenhaal, Ben Kingsley with Gemma Arterton and Alfred Molina in pivotal roles. The film contained elements from the two games of the Prince of Persia franchise - Warrior Within and The Two Thrones.

 

Max Payne

The game follows the story of Max Payne, a New York City police detective who turns vigilante after his family is killed. The game series resulted in a neo-noir action thriller film in 2008 directed by John Moore of the Behind the Enemy Lines fame.

Detective Pikachu

The 2016 Nintendo game was adapted into the live-action format in 2019 and saw quite the craze. Pokemon Detective Pikachu featured Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds as the witty and smart talking Pikachu. The adorable Pokemon is a world-class detective, who is only understood by Tim Goodman. All others hear Pikachu say is 'Pika'.

 

Hitman

The story of the 2007 film was based on the journey of Agent 47 in the video game series of the same name. Although a financial success, Hitman's sequel was called off during its production. But a reboot called Hitman: Agent 47 was released in 2015. This movie also received negative criticism amidst handsome overseas collection.

Sonic the Hedgehog

The Japanese video game series by Sega saw a live-action adaptation. Starring James Marsden and Jim Carrey, the fantasy comedy film was released in India on February 28, 2020. The producers of the movie underwent complete revision of Sonic's design following audience backlash after the release of the trailer in 2019.

Rampage

Starring Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, the 2018 science fiction monster drama was based on the video game. Directed and produced by Brad Peyton, the film follows primatologist Davis Okoye and George, an albino gorilla, fight against two mutated animals -a wolf and a crocodile- and save Chicago. The movie garnered $428 million worldwide but faced some criticism for its storyline.

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First Published Date: 02 Mar, 18:46 IST
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