Most Popular & Successful Live-Action Video Game Adaptations!

Live adaptations of video games are one of the most popular genres of movies and television, especially when the games are older and evoke a sense of nostalgia when watching the story you once used to play unfold in a film or TV narrative. While some adaptations inevitably flop, others turn out not only successfully but beloved. Here are some of the most popular video game adaptations -- how many of these have you watched or played?! 

1. Uncharted (2022)

Many people were skeptical about Uncharted, but it turned out so well that rumors and hopes for an upcoming sequel sprang up almost immediately. There’s a lot of action in the film, combined with some mystery and old myths and legends. The cast is great, especially the chemistry between Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg. But the most important thing for fans of the game (and which is one of the reasons for movie’s success) is that the movie stuck to its original theme and atmosphere, so it felt familiar. 

2. Tomb Raider (2018)

We know, we know, you’re probably a little angry and confused about why we didn’t include the OG Tomb Raider movie with one and only Angelina Jolie as the titular character, Lara Croft, but hear us out. The first adaptation was great, and it’s quite difficult to compare it with the reboot, as both movies are based on 2 different video game series. However, the ratings for the 2018 version are much higher, plus lots of fans consider Alicia Vikander more suitable for their favorite computer game hero. 

3. The Angry Birds Movie (2016)

Angry Birds is synonymous with the early-2010s; everyone was obsessed with it! The animated film came out 7 years after the release of the game and instantly became a fan favorite. It was fun and very simple, just like the original game, and it was interesting to see some character development of the popular colorful birds. 

4. Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019)

When you’re making an adaptation of probably the most famous cartoon character (which was popular both in a video game and an anime series), you can expect to receive some backlash. However, people enjoyed this new version of Pikachu, especially with Ryan Reynolds’s enthusiastic voice-over for the cute hero. The CGI was amazing, and the plot was somehow new and fresh, with a mix of action and a mystery storyline, which is always fun to watch. 

5. Resident Evil (2002)

The Resident Evil series was perhaps one of the most popular zombie games of the late-'90s and '00s. The film franchise has many differences with the game: it concentrated more on action rather than horror and focused on one main protagonist, Alice (Milla Jovovich), instead of developing the story from different points of view. Nevertheless, fans came to love the apocalyptic movies, as they didn’t repeat the game plot too on-the-nose.

6. Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

Who wouldn’t want to watch a movie about your childhood favorite video game hero, with Jim Carrey as the main antagonist? The new movie (and its sequel) kind of reminded us of superhero movies, where Sonic having to save the world. The live-action adaptation is full of nostalgia but also brand new action, a great cast, lots of humor, and amazing visuals. 

7. "The Last of Us" (2023)

Let me guess, you’re probably waiting for the new episode of “The Last of Us” to come out right now, aren’t you? Even though it’s hard to properly judge the new TV show based on the famous computer game just yet, as it isn’t finished, the first reviews and ratings have been great, with everyone absolutely loving the new adaptation. The two main characters are perfectly on point, so there’s nothing really to quibble or complain about. Fans have even been posting side-by-side videos comparing the game to the show, and the similarities are remarkable!