One of the wonderful things about the modern visual effects industry is that it’s possible to create magical worlds and mythical beings that cross effortlessly between different types of entertainment. This is why you now get such a rich cross between the world of gaming and blockbuster movies. Live-action and animation – or a combination of both – are used to bring popular game concepts to life on the big screen, drawing viewers into the adventures they have when gaming.
History of game-movie crossovers
A recent example of a great game-movie crossover is Uncharted- an action-adventure film starring Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg. Its origins are in the popular games franchise with the same name.
Treasure hunter Nathan Drake peppers this box office hit with the sort of stunts and gravity-defying antics normally confined to the world of gaming, thanks to cutting-edge CGI techniques. Possibly the first major game to movie crossover was Super Mario Bros in a 1993 film. Ever since, combat games became a popular basis for fight-action films like Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat.
Fans often say that the first true blockbuster crossover was Lara Croft: Tomb Raider with Angelina Jolie in the title role- which certainly exceeded previous cross-over box office takings. Jolie then came back for more gaming action in 2003, with Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life which was another memorable piece in the history of video game crossovers.
As the idea of using games as a film concept took off, horror movie makers got in on the act. Resident Evil: Apocalypse took over $129,000,00 in revenue and Resident Evil: Extinction took $148,412,065 at the box office. More titles in that gaming franchise have been created as films since, alongside many other science fictions, combat and fantasy creations. Even Walt Disney has used the popularity of the gaming world for inspiration. Such films Include Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time with an impressive revenue of $336,365,676.
In fact, the big names in movie making have all used game concepts for popular movies at some point. Including Paramount bringing Sonic the Hedgehog to the big screen and Borderlands getting a movie makeover and stellar cast with Lionsgate. Keep in mind too, that Japanese movie makers have naturally sought inspiration from the world of gaming and Pokémon: The Movie was the first of a long series of titles inspired by that global gaming phenomenon. Also, there have been many made-for-video and TV films based on concepts from video games. As gaming is such a rich, dynamic and creative entertainment sector, it clearly offers abundant ideas for future filmmakers too.
Movies that inspired popular games
Of course, it is also possible to take characters and stories from much-loved films and use them in games too, such as online slot games. This can be the perfect pairing of the stories people enjoy, with online game concepts which enable you to be part of the action. Excellent examples of films that have inspired popular slot games include Beetlejuice Megaways and The Goonies Jackpot King online slot, which are just two great popular titles that can be found at leovegas.com/en-gb/slots.
Ensuring video games live up to movie expectations
The primary reason that video games make such a great basis for movies, is that many genres and titles already have a strong fan base, making film success relatively assured. The deciding factor is whether the game is treated in a way that stays true to the original concept and characters. Also, the movie must celebrate some of the best-loved gaming moves and experiences. Having big-name stars in the cast also helps! A similar principle applies to movies that inspire games. The cross-over needs to be respectful to the original, but still creative, fresh and interesting.