Video game movie adaptations used to be awful, but over the past few years, there have been some surefire hits. Detective Pikachu, Sonic The Hedgehog, and the newest Mortal Kombat film have all proved it’s possible. Here’s what to look forward to for both video game and film fans over the next few years.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
The surprisingly great Sonic movie adaptation is getting a sequel on April 8, and this time it will feature Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) and Knuckles (Idris Elba) as main characters. The red echidna has joined Dr. Eggman in his fight against the blue blur after he escapes from an off-planet world. Now, Eggman is back to get his revenge, but can Sonic with his new friend stop him? Find out in theaters soon. We also love how one of the posters for Sonic The Hedgehog 2 replicates the game art.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
The other confirmed video game movie for 2022 is the Super Mario Bros. movie from Universal and Despicable Me studio Illumination. It will be released this holiday season in movie theatres. Nintendo fans have been unsure about this project since the announcement of the cast. Guardians of the Galaxy lead Chris Pratt will be playing Mario, Anya-Taylor Joy (The Queen’s Gambit) is Peach, and Jack Black (School of Rock) is Bowser.
Movies with no release dates attached
Beyond Good & Evil
Ubisoft has produced movies based on the popular Assassin’s Creed series and the VR title Werewolves Within. Beyond Good & Evil could be the next adaptation. Detective Pikachu director Rob Letterman has been appointed for the Netflix-bound project. No news has been given since its 2020 announcement, however.
BioShock
It has been announced by Netflix that a BioShock movie is on the way. No directors, actors, or even a writer has been announced yet, but the project was in talks for around a year before the announcement.
Borderlands
The wacky world of Pandora from the Borderlands series will be making the jump to the big screen sometime soon. No release date or window has been given for the flick yet, but it finished filming back in June 2021. We expect to hear news soon, possibly at PAX East 2022, where the developer of the series Gearbox Software is hosting a panel. Borderlands will feature Kevin Hart (Central Intelligence) as Roland, Jack Black (Kung Fu Panda) as Claptrap, Cate Blanchett (Thor: Ragnarok) as Lilith, Jamie Lee Curtis (True Lies) as Tannis, and Janina Gavankar (The Morning Show) among a star-studded cast.
The Division
Ubisoft will also be making a movie based on The Division, an enjoyable third-person shooter. We know it will star Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Chastain, and it will be directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber (Red Notice). The movie is expected to start filming in 2022, according to Thurber when speaking to GamesRadar+.
Gears of War
Another third person shooter Gears of War is targeting a movie as well. There has been no word for years on this project, but just recently in March 2022, The Digital Fix asked about its existence to the producer Dylan Clark. “It’s something it’s been a passion of mine for a very long time,” Clark said. “I think very soon there will be an announcement.” We’ll see if that’s true over the coming months. Something to keep in mind is that Dylan Clark is someone that will be listened to after producing Matt Reeves’ The Batman.
Ghost of Tsushima
Jin Sakai’s grand adventures in feudal Japan are one of PlayStation Studio’s next pursuits in Hollywood. Ghost of Tsushima is poised to have a live-action film after Uncharted made over $350 million in the worldwide box office. The game has beautiful visuals and an intense story that would be great in movie theaters. The prolific director Chad Stahelski (John Wick) is in charge of the project.
Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid is another one of those movie adaptations that have disappeared since 2020. Oscar Isaac, the actor positioned to play Solid Snake, said to IGN during Moon Knight‘s red carpet premiere that “we’re climbing through air ducts, we’re looking for the story.” This movie is still very much in pre-production from the sound of it. What we do know is that Kong: Skull Island director Jordan Vogt-Roberts is working on the project.
Portal
The popular puzzle game Portal is getting developed as a movie by Warner Bros. JJ. Abrams was publicizing an 8K Blu-ray of the film Super 8, and told IGN at the event that they “actually do have a script that’s being written for the Portal movie.” This was back in May 2021. Hopefully, progress has grown since then.
Tomb Raider 2
The sequel to the Alicia Vikander movie adaptation of Tomb Raider is currently in pre-production. The latest we’ve heard is that a draft has been written for the movie with the in-progress title, Tomb Raider: Obsidian. This was back in May 2021.
Yakuza
It was reported back in 2020 that a Yakuza movie was in development from Sega, 1212 Entertainment, and Wild Sheep Entertainment with Roberto Grande, Erik Barmack, and Joshua Long producing the project. We’ve heard little since. Hopefully, we’ll get an update soon as the source material would fit the big screen very well with its high-intensity action scenes.
Other films in development
- Dragon’s Lair
- Firewatch
- Five Nights at Freddy’s
- Just Cause
- Pokémon Detective Pikachu sequel
- Sonic the Hedgehog 3
- Tetris
Published: Mar 27, 2022 08:27 pm