Let’s face it: video game movies have a reputation of being pretty lackluster. Detective Pikachu may have turned out alright, but it’s hard to forget the terrible live-action adaptations of such beloved franchises of Super Mario Bros, Doom, and the disastrous blend of IP in Pixels. The following list of planned video game films makes us scratch our heads wondering why they’re currently in development, as it’s hard to imagine how a Space Invaders or Tetris movie would translate to the big screen.
Strangest Video Game Movies | Space Invaders
Warner Bros bought the rights to Space Invaders in 2014, announcing that A Beautiful Mind producer Akiva Goldsman was on board. Little else about the project has emerged five years later, though Warner’s New Line Cinema production studio recently stated that Mortal Kombat film reboot writer Greg Russo will be handling the script. Given the news, it’s safe to assume that fans won’t see a teaser for the Space Invaders movie anytime soon. That doesn’t mean that they can’t speculate on what exactly the project will be about, as the arcade game is completely devoid of a plot. Here’s hoping that Space Invaders won’t unfold like every other generic alien invasion movie, as that would make us question why Warner Bros. wanted to give it the Hollywood treatment in the first place. The world has too many Independence Day wannabes.
ALSO: Here’s how the Sonic the Hedgehog Movie would have looked with a different Sonic
Strangest Video Game Movies | Super Mario Bros
The aforementioned Super Mario Bros live-action movie that released in 1993 is far from perfect. One would think that Nintendo wouldn’t agree to another film adaption after witnessing giant goombas take orders from an evil lizard man, but that isn’t the case. Illumination Entertainment, the studio behind the Despicable Me and Shrek franchises, announced its plans for an animated Super Mario Bros movie late last year, stating that the project could arrive by 2022. While Illumination is certainly talented when it comes to the realm of computer animation, one can’t help but wonder who asked for another movie starring the two plumbers. After the tragedy that happened nearly three decades ago, many longtime fans would prefer that the term “Mario movie” never be used again. It’s suffice to say that Illumination has an uphill battle on its hands.
Strangest Video Game Movies | Sonic the Hedgehog
If the Sonic the Hedgehog movie’s debut trailer is anything to go by, it may be a train wreck. Reception has been so bad that the team behind the project delayed it from its previous November 2019 window to February 2020, stating that it needs more time to “make Sonic just right.” Character designs aside, it’s a mystery why Paramount Pictures wanted to make a live-action Sonic the Hedgehog film in the first place, as Sega’s most popular franchise has always revolved around a colorful pack of anthropomorphic creatures. The franchise seems much more suited for a animated movie adaptation, if anything. Director Jeff Fowler may be able to craft something vaguely entertaining with the blue blur and his newfound human companions, but fans shouldn’t hold their breath.
Strangest Video Game Movies | Centipede
Remember Centipede? A film adaption of the arcade classic was announced by Atari and Emmett/Furla/Oasis Films three years ago alongside plans for a Missile Command movie. It may be easy to conceptualize what a motion picture on the latter may be, but the former seems completely out of left field. The film’s target audience also remains a mystery, as it’s safe to assume that most young video game fans probably don’t know what Centipede is and older audiences may think the concept is silly. The Human Centipede is the only thing comes to mind when recalling films that revolve around the titular bug. Maybe a Centipede movie that incorporates elements from the popular horror series might work?
Strangest Video Game Movies | Minecraft
While its easy to picture how an animated Minecraft film will unfold thanks to Minecraft: Story Mode, it’s tougher to imagine what a live-action adaptation would look like. Slated to release on March 4, 2022, the movie will follow a young girl as she attempts to save Overworld from the malicious Ender Dragon. From the sound of it, director Peter Sollett and production company Warner Bros. will have to figure out a way to translate Minecraft‘s blocky aesthetic nicely lest it turn out as horrific as Sonic’s original live-action design. Having a human face plastered on flat surface is certainly a no-go, as is wedging everyday objects in between finger-less appendages. If one thing’s for certain, it’ll take a great deal of creativity to make this project work.
Strangest Video Game Movies | Tetris
For those who may have been living under a rock since 1984, Tetris is a puzzle title that has players match color-coordinated tiles together in order to achieve high scores. It’s a pretty straightforward concept as far as video games are concerned, but not so much when it comes to movies. A Tetris movie surrounding the title’s creator, Alexey Pajitnov, would be interesting considering how he designed it while working in a computing center in the Soviet Union, but that’s perhaps more suited for a documentary. It’s anyone’s guess what a feature film would be like, though it’s obvious that Threshold Global Studios wants the project to make a splash given its $80 million budget.
Though video games don’t need film adaptations or television shows to be successful, entertaining projects that pay proper homage to the properties they’re based on are always welcome. One can never get enough of good storytelling, no matter the medium.
