Everything from The Last Of Us to Just Dance to a new version of Resident Evil are in the works.
In recent years, it did feel like superhero movies were all that Hollywood was interested in.
However, looking forward, it does seem like we’re about to be inundated with movies and TV shows based on video games.
Historically, these adaptations have tended to be more miss than hit, but the same might be said of early-day superhero movies, and look where we are with those now!
All of the details below are correct at the time of writing, but considering the speed that Hollywood seems to be green-lighting these projects, 35 more could be announced before we finish this sentence.
ASSASSIN’S CREED
The Michael Fassbender adaptation of the game wasn’t great, but Netflix are hoping to have more luck with a TV adaptation in the works. Not much more info is available, but it was enough for Netflix to put out a teaser trailer for it.
Netflix + Assassin's Creed pic.twitter.com/yI2sItnMgi
— NX (@NXOnNetflix) October 27, 2020
BORDERLANDS
Eli Roth (Hostel, Cabin Fever) is directing an already very impressive cast (Cate Blanchett, Jack Black, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Hart), playing a group of people on the fictional planet of Pandora, all in search of a mysterious relic.
BROTHERS IN ARMS
The producer of Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw will be turning this WWII-shooter into a Band Of Brothers-esque TV series. The 2005 game, released on the PS2 and PC, was a modest hit, with the show reportedly set to tell the true story of a “rehearsal” for D-Day that went disastrously wrong.
CHILD OF LIGHT
A new live-action show is in the works based on this sorta-fairytale, with Tasha Huo (whose name will appear again on this list) working on the script. Not much else is known about the project at the time of writing.
CROSSFIRE
Maybe one of the lesser known games on this list, perhaps primarily because it is a massive hit in China, but the first-person military shooter does boast over one billion registered users worldwide. Neal H. Moretz (the Fast & Furious franchise) is currently signed on as a producer of the movie.
DETECTIVE PIKACHU 2
The first one made over $430 million at the worldwide box office, so of course there will be another one. Oren Uziel (22 Jump Street, the new Mortal Kombat movie) was announced to be writing the script before the first movie even arrived in cinemas.
THE DIVISION
David Leitch (Deadpool 2, Atomic Blonde) will direct Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Chastain in this action-thriller, detailing the aftermath of a biological terrorist attack in New York. Netflix have already purchased the rights to the movie.
FALLOUT
Writers and show-runners Jonathan Nolan (The Dark Knight) and Lisa Joy (Westworld) have been announced to be working on this TV adaptation of this hit post-apocalypse franchise for Prime Video.
FINAL FANTASY
The 2001 movie was a massive box office bomb, but they’re going the TV route for this new take. The producers behind The Expanse and The Witcher are reportedly working away on an original story set within the world of Eorzea, first introduced to players in Final Fantasy XIV.
FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S
The hit horror game about a night manager of a themed restaurant where the animatronics come alive at night has a big director already attached: Chris Columbus, the guy behind Home Alone and the first two Harry Potter movies. The movie is still in pre-production, so we probably won’t see it until closer to Halloween 2022.
FROGGER
In a slight change of pace, Frogger will actually be turned into a game show, with contestants needing to “dodge treacherous traffic, leap over snapping gators and hop over hungry hippos to conquer the course.” We’re thinking something along the lines of Netflix’s The Floor Is Lava, but with more frog puns.
GEARS OF WAR
The script for this epic sci-fi action movie has been worked on by several big name writers, including Chris Morgan (Fast & Furious 7), Shane Solerno (Armageddon), and Stuart Beattie (Pirates of the Caribbean), and has been in pre-production since some time in 2019.
HALO
One of the longest production nightmares in Hollywood history (the movie was initially being worked on by Peter Jackson back in the early 00’s), the TV show is officially coming to Paramount Plus (in the States) this year, with Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief, the soldier who must defend humanity in the 26th century from an alien menace.
HITMAN
According to his IMDb page, screenwriter Derek Kolstad is working on turning the story of Agent 47 into a TV series. Being the writer of the John Wick movies, we can’t think of anyone better suited to the job.
JUST CAUSE
Mike Dowse (Stuber) has reportedly been hired to direct this action-thriller, based on the game which is based on the real-life US invasion of Panama. Apparently the studio is liking to give the adaptation a Romancing The Stone-esque vibe, which we are fully on board for.
JUST DANCE
How can you make a movie out of a game that effectively just asks you to mimic the actions you see on screen? We’re not sure, but Will Gluck (Easy A) thinks he knows, as he is currently producing this one. Maybe a Step Up kinda thing? That’s our best guess, anyways.
THE LAST OF US
With the recent news that Pedro Pascal has signed on to play Joel, it will only be a matter of time before this starts production properly. The post-apocalyptic horror feels incredibly topical right now, with the script coming from Craig Mazin, the guy behind HBO’s incredible Chernobyl show.
…no matter what, you keep finding something to fight for. @TheLastofUsPS @HBO @clmazin https://t.co/9vCecjTI5r
— Pedro Pascal he/him (@PedroPascal1) February 11, 2021
MARIO
After the critical and commercial bomb that was the Super Mario Brothers movie in 1993, it has taken Nintendo this long to even consider letting Hollywood have another go at their beloved mascot. The upcoming animated movie is coming from Illumination – the folks behind the Despicable Me series – and is currently lined up for 2022 release.
MEGAMAN
This sci-fi action flick has been in some kind of development since 2015, but Netflix have reportedly bought up the rights for the adaptation, with the writer of the upcoming The Batman on script duties, and the directors of Paranormal Activity 3 and Project Power behind the camera.
METAL GEAR SOLID
Oscar Isaac has officially signed one as legendary soldier Solid Snake for this HUGE blockbuster from the director of Kong: Skull Island. If they’re attempting to accurately adapt that first MGS game, we’re guessing they’ll need a budget of about a billion dollars.
MINECRAFT
The sort-of-virtual-Lego-but-not-really game is getting a big fantasy adaptation, complete with dragons and everything. Peter Sollett (Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist) is directing, with a June 2022 release date currently penciled in for cinemas.
MORTAL KOMBAT
The incredibly violent adaptation is due for release in cinemas in the States this April, so we imagine we’ll see it on this side of the Atlantic once the cinemas can re-open safely. And yes, seriously, it looks super violent. And as a Mortal Kombat movie, that seems only fair.
Get over here! Watch the trailer for Mortal Kombat now — in theaters and streaming exclusively on HBO Max April 16. #MortalKombatMovie pic.twitter.com/eFhQhbdNUl
— Mortal Kombat Movie (@MKMovie) February 18, 2021
RESIDENT EVIL
The director of 47 Meters Down: Uncaged is bringing the zombie franchise back to the big screen, but promised to make it “super, super scary.” The plot is currently being kept under-wraps, but it is due for release in cinemas in September 2021.
RESIDENT EVIL (AGAIN)
Completely separately from the movie, Netflix are also working on a Resident Evil TV show, coming from the same producers behind the Milla Jovovich-starring movies. Apparently this will also be a clean break from those movies, going back to set-up the rise of the nefarious Umbrella Corporation, and their dangerous, zombie-creating viruses.
SAINTS ROW
Greg Russo (who also co-wrote the upcoming Mortal Kombat movie, and will be mentioned again before this list is over) is writing the adaption of this Grand Theft Auto-esque comedy-crime-thriller. F. Gary Gray (Straight Outta Compton, Fast & Furious 8) is reportedly directing, once he’s done making a movie based on M.A.S.K., aka the Mobile Armored Strike Kommand!
SKULL & BONES
The producers behind Wonder Woman and American Hustle are working on developing this pirate game into a female-driven TV series. The show was announced around the same time as the game, which has actually yet to be released, but is expected to land on current and next-gen consoles this year.
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2
Another (relative) box office success, made almost $320 million at the box office off a $90 million budget, the writers and director of the first movie are already confirmed to be returning for the sequel, which is scheduled to begin filming in March this year, before arriving in cinemas in April 2022.
SPACE INVADERS
This seems like the easiest adaptation of them all…. just remake Independence Day, basically? Greg Russo (again!) is on script duties. No updates since 2019, though…
TOMB RAIDER 2
Alicia Vikander will return as Lara Croft, this time directed by Misha Green (Lovecraft Country). Kristin Scott Thomas is also set to return, as the now-villainous Ana Miller, likely behind the events that led to Lara’s father’s disappearance.
TOMB RAIDER (AGAIN)
Netflix are teaming up with the creators of the recent Lara Croft gritty reboot trilogy for an animated series that will pick up on the action directly following on from the events of 2018’s Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
TWISTED METAL
The writers of Deadpool are working on a TV adaptation of this darkly comic, incredibly violent, weaponised-vehicles death race game. Actor Will Arnett (Arrested Development) has also signed on a producer, so we’d expect to see him behind the wheels of one of the cars.
UNCHARTED
Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg will play younger versions of famed fortune hunters Nathan Drake and Victor Sullivan in this huge action-adventure, with Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland, Venom) directing. Currently scheduled for release in cinemas in February 2022.
It’s nice to meet you, I’m Nate. #uncharted pic.twitter.com/v79Mvy26iH
— Tom Holland (@TomHolland1996) October 22, 2020
VAMPYR
The production company behind Homeland and Sons Of Anarchy was working away on the adaptation of this period-set, vampire doctor thriller for 21st Century Fox, prior to the Disney buy-out. The IMDb page still has it under “development”, so… we’ll see?
WEREWOLVES WITHIN
A VR version of house-party game Werewolf (which is also known as Secret Hitler in some circles), this mystery-thriller is being adapted by first-time screenwriter Mishna Wolff (who, with a name like that, is a perfect fit for this) for Ubisoft. The movie has already been filmed, but no official release date has yet been announced.
YAKUZA
This is Sega’s second-biggest franchise (after Sonic), and they’ve recently announced that they’re working with the production team behind 2019’s decent Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark on this violent comedy-thriller.