We are lucky to be living in the best time for video game adaptations to the world of film and television. Today, the people who grew up playing all of these great titles have the power to produce these projects in hollywood, and they have so much respect for the source material that they manage to adapt it faithfully. But then, it’s much easier to bring the colorful world of a game to life through the medium of animation. What about those projects that were made with real actors?
Also know as live action, there was a time when these types of movies and series were frowned upon by fans almost immediately. But, due to the changes in Hollywood that we already mentioned, along with the considerable improvement in special effects in recent years, we were lucky to enjoy a lot of Live Action projects that managed to use the best elements of our favorite video games at the same time. perfection. But… What are the best adaptations in this style? Here we present the definitive list with some of the most notable exponents.
What is the best Live Action series or movie that is based on a video game?
Fallout (2024) – Series
The recent Fallout series in Amazon Prime Video It immediately became a critical success around the world. What is your secret? The ingenious idea of having created an entertaining 100% original plot that takes place in the post-apocalyptic universe of these video games, which has many references that fans will notice, but that does not intervene in the “canon” of the game. With a colorful cinematic style, incredible performances from actors such as Ella Purnell either Walton Goggins and impressive special effects, Fallout is one of the series of the moment and if you are a fan of this franchise, you will not want to miss it.
The Last of Us (2023) – Series
Although it is not a perfect series and has its fair share of detractors, it cannot be denied that the series The Last of Us which was launched in MAX last year is one of the best video game adaptations in history. It was praised by both fans and specialized critics and even won the award for Best Adaptation at the Game Awards 2023. The original game already presented a depressing and complex story with a lot of humanity, so the series took the job of adapt and expand it in an efficient way. And the exciting performances of Peter Pascal and Bella Ramsey they brought to joel already ellie to the life.
Twisted Metal (2023) – Series
Everyone was surprised when the streaming service Peacock announced that he was producing a Live Action series of Twisted Metal. This video game franchise with vehicular combat sony It’s quite old and was somewhat forgotten at the time, so no one expected much from this strange project. However, the Twisted Metal series ended up being one of the best surprises of 2023. It is a very fun adventure, full of color and violence. Not to mention all the crazy vehicular action. With excellent performances by renowned actors such as Anthony Mackie, Stephanie Beatriz and Will Arnett like the voice of the iconic Sweet Tooththis series gave new life to this forgotten franchise.
Halo (2022) – Series
Unfortunately, the series of Halo in Paramount Plus is one of the most divisive contenders on this list. Despite its good special effects, solid action and efficient use of video game lore, many fans did not like the protagonist’s characterization at all, master Chief, and his constant tendency to take off his helmet to show his face. However, the second season that was released this year was a considerable improvement for many, as it puts a greater focus on the human drama and further explores the character of Master Chief. We hope they continue like this and that the third season is even more interesting and faithful to the games.
Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019) – Movie
The franchise of Pokemon always had one of the most unique and colorful worlds in the entire video game industry How could all these crazy creatures be adapted to a Live Action project? We got the answer to this question in 2019, with the departure of Detective Pikachu. The greatest strength of this film is the designs of the Pokémon that populate its captivating world, which look simply incredible (Or adorable, in the case of Pikachu either Psyduck). And since it is based on one of the most forgotten spin-offs of the franchise, it uses this to its advantage to tell a fun, exciting and mystery-filled story that the whole family can enjoy.
Sonic The Hedgehog 1 and 2 (2020 and 2022) – Movies
Do you remember when the Sonic Live Action movie was revealed and its design was so ugly that Paramount was forced to change it? It’s incredible to think that so much time has passed since then and that now that film and its sequel are so beloved that the third installment and a television series of Knuckles. Once they started using the new design, it became very evident that the people behind these films have a lot of appreciation for this video game icon. Although the interactions between Sonic and his friends with humans are fun, the best part of both projects is the charismatic performance of the great Jim Carrey As the Dr. Eggman.
Mortal Kombat (2021) – Movie
Mortal Kombat It had already had a very good adaptation in 1995, but this film was always criticized for not having as much violence as the original video games. That is why the recent 2021 film took this opportunity to create an action-packed, gore-filled adventure that is packed with dynamic fights with excellent choreography. The lore of the games was used in surprising ways, with appearances from all types of fighters, both the iconic and the more forgotten. Although the fact that the protagonist is an original character did not sit well with some fans, this film was very well received and we can’t wait to see its sequel, where we will see the great Johnny Cage.
Five Nights At Freddy’s (2023) – Movie
Despite the enormous popularity of the video game series Five Nights At Freddy’sthis adaptation was stuck in development for many years, but was finally released in 2023. The most memorable part is its impressive animatronics of Freddy, Bonnie, Girl and Foxy manufactured by The Jim Henson Company. Not only do these look the same as the ones in the games, but they also look quite disturbing. The complex lore of this universe was also made good use of, especially to develop the villain’s story. William Afton. Although the plot and scares left much to be desired by critics, this film was a huge box office success and its sequel has already been approved.
It’s hard to believe that all of these classic video games have been adapted in a hyper-realistic way with human actors, and that they have turned out so well, but all of these movies and series are the perfect example that these projects can work if they are made by teams that care. the original material. And the best part is that this new trend will not stop, since soon we will be able to see other quite promising Live Action adaptations, such as the movie Borderlandsthe movie of Minecraftthe movie of The Legend of Zelda or the series of god of war.
Do you agree with this list? What is your favorite Live Action video game adaptation?