Like the seemingly unending comic book movie craze, Hollywood loves to find a type of film that it can turn into the next big cultural touchstone. Over the years, we've seen movies based on video games attempt to reach that level, with varying levels of success. We've seen adaptations of games for decades, but, to be fair, a lot of these were awful adaptations. Many of them missed the point of the source material and were clumsily executed--although we'll always have a soft spot for the 1994 Street Fighter movie--but lately, we've seen some big changes in this genre.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie took the world by storm last year, earning an obscene amount of cash at the box office, while the Uncharted and both Sonic the Hedgehog movies were also successful. With fresh new IPs to option, dozens of video game movies have been announced over the last couple of years, and while production is moving swiftly on several of them, many more appear to be trapped in the lowest levels of development hell.
We're hopeful that we'll see some progress on these long-in-development films, but until Hollywood says otherwise, here's a deep dive into the video game movies that could be showing at your local cinema in the future. If there's not an attached release date or it's not a sequel, though, keep in mind these could also just never be made in the end.
1. Outlast
An incredibly terrifying series of first-person survival-horror games, Outlast is coming to the big screen as part of a deal between Lionsgate and developer Red Barrels. Still at an early stage of development, writer JT Perry--who has worked on the stories for the games themselves--will be penning the screenplay.
2. Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Release date: December 20, 2024
Paramount's Sonic the Hedgehog movies have been a blast of fun--and horror--on the big screen, and with two films in the can, Sega's Blue Blur is getting ready for what could be the biggest race of his life. As part of Paramount's ambitious plans for a Sonic the Hedgehog cinematic universe, which will also include a Knuckles-centric TV show on Paramount+, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will once again be directed by Jeff Fowler and will reunite Sonic (Ben Schwartz) with Knuckles (Idris Elba) and Tails (Colleen O'Shaughnessey).
One big name missing from the cast? Jim Carrey, who played Sonic's greatest nemesis Dr. Robotnik in the first two films. Carrey has mentioned in previous interviews that he is retired from acting, so chances are slim that the egotistical scientist will be back to menace Sonic. But that might not be a bad thing, because as Sonic the Hedgehog 2 teased in its end credits, Sonic might have his work cut out for him when Shadow the Hedgehog eventually appears.
3. Minecraft
Release date: April 4, 2025
Minecraft has been one of the biggest games for years, and the creative sandbox of cubic characters is getting ready for a feature film adaptation. There aren't too many details available on the adaptation yet, but what we do know is that it'll be directed by Jared Hess (Nacho Libre and Napoleon Dynamite) and it'll star Jason Momoa and Jack Black. Hess is also aiming to avoid an "ugly Sonic" situation as filming continues in New Zealand, so as to not disappoint children who love the game.
In case you missed it, the first Minecraft trailer arrived in September, and it certainly is something.
4. Watch Dogs
More than 10 years after it was first announced, filming finally began on Watch Dogs in July, a series of open-world games published by Ubisoft and featuring hacktivist gameplay. Directed by Mathieu Turi (The Deep Dark), the film Tom Blyth and Sophia Wilde. Additional casting details or a release date have yet to be revealed.
Principal photography wrapped up in September, and the project is now in its post-production phase.
5. Until Dawn
Release date: April 25, 2025
Based on the 2015 interactive-horror game, an Until Dawn film is on the way from Shazam director David F. Sandberg. The original game was a star-studded affair that featured Rami Malek, Hayden Panettiere, and Brett Dalton as part of a group of friends who reunite in a remote mountain resort, and it's not long before the gang find themselves facing off against a horrific threat to their survival. You won't have to wait too long to see the adaptation, as Sony has set an April 25, 2025 release date for Until Dawn.
6. Days Gone
Days Gone was an interesting--but flawed--first-party game when it first launched on PS4 in 2019, and while it didn't reach the same levels of success as Marvel's Spider-Man or Ghost of Tsushima, it might be better suited for the silver screen. A tale of love, bikers, and zombies in a post-apocalyptic world, the script for this adaptation has been written by Sheldon Turner (X-Men: First Class and the Road House remake) and is said to have a modern-day Western feel to it. Sam Heughan (Outlander) is reportedly attached to play the protagonist Deacon St. John.
7. Death Stranding
Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding takes place in a fascinating universe, one where an extinction-level event has almost wiped out humanity and where being caught out in the rain is a painful death sentence. It's also weird as hell, packed with some very recognizable Hollywood faces, and it has no shortage of material to explore. The feature film adaptation was announced back in 2022, and in December 2023, film and television company A24 officially revealed its partnership with Kojima Productions to bring Death Stranding to life… or Death.
Kojima has big plans for this IP, as not only is he involved in the production of the Death Stranding movie, but he's also planning to create a Death Stranding film universe.
8. Dead by Daylight
For anyone yearning for a good ol' slasher horror movie, you might want to keep your eyes peeled for Dead by Daylight. The longrunning multiplayer horror game has long been considered a love letter to cinematic terror, and its feature film adaptation will be produced by Blumhouse and James Wan (The Conjuring, Insidious).
9. Duke Nukem
Is the world ready for Duke Nukem's return? A relic of the video game past--for good and bad reasons--the legendary gunslinger is making his way to theaters in a film project from the producers behind Cobra Kai. This will be an entirely new production when compared to the ill-fated Duke Nukem project that was set to star John Cena, and it was first announced in 2022. Since then, there has been radio silence on the project and it has no names attached to direct, write, or star in it.
10. Firewatch
Campo Santo's story-focused and solitary adventure game Firewatch might sound like an odd choice for a film adaptation, but producers Snoot Entertainment are aiming to bring the interactive piece of art to the big screen. No other details, such as casting announcements or tentative release window, have been revealed since the 2020 announcement, but at the time, Camp Santo co-founder Sean Vanaman had nothing but high praise for the project and the people attached to it.
11. Five Nights at Freddy's sequels
If you'd correctly guessed that a film based on a video game series about homicidal animatronic food mascots would go on to break box office records, then we'd really like you to pick our next lottery numbers. A Five Nights at Freddy's sequel was inevitable, and while it's still early days, Josh Hutcherson recently revealed that the writers are "nailing down the story" for the follow-up. Horror movie studio Blumhouse produced the Five Nights at Freddy's movie, and it became the company's highest-grossing movie ever.
12. Ghost of Tsushima
Back in 2020, Ghost of Tsushima arrived to send off the PS4 generation in grand style. A samurai tale with gorgeous visuals and intense action, the game attracted the attention of John Wick director Chad Stahelski and was quickly added to his slate of projects. Don't expect to Ghost of Tsushima on the big screen soon, as the director is currently focused on a Highlander reboot starring Henry Cavill as the legendary swordsman. Stahelski intends to create an "epic" atmosphere of samurai action while also seeing just how far he can "push the color palette" on this project.
13. Gravity Rush
Gravity Rush has managed to escape the pull of development hell since it was first announced in 2022, as work steadily continues on it. Anna Mastro (Secret Society of Second Born Royals) is reportedly the director, and at CES 2024, an entire five seconds of footage was seen during Sony's press conference. Unlike the anime-inspired 2012 game, this version of Gravity Rush appears to be taking a more realistic approach as it brings the gravity-defying world of Hekseville to life.
14. Iron Lung
Based on the 2022 horror game of the same name by David Szymanski, the adaptation of Iron Lung has already been written, directed, and produced by Mark Fischback AKA Markiplier, who's also starring in it. While it is complete, the movie doesn't have a release date yet, but the teaser trailer does look suitably bloody. If you've never played the game, Iron Lung is set in a universe where an event known as "The Quiet Rapture" has caused all known stars and habitable planets in the universe to vanish. After an ocean of blood is discovered on a lifeless moon, one convict is sent to explore the crimson waters from inside a rickety submarine.
15. Just Cause
Just Cause, a series of open-world video games where character development takes a backseat to gloriously over-the-top explosions, is the perfect vehicle for a gratuitously violent popcorn blockbuster with a bloated pyrotechnics budget. It has been a long time since we've heard any news on the project, as in 2017, the film was set to be directed by Brad Peyton and would star Jason Momoa. Peyton eventually dropped out and was replaced by Michael Dowse (Stuber), but since then, there's been nothing but radio silence on this project.
16. Just Dance
While the heyday of dancing movies is long over, there might still be room for Ubisoft's infectiously fun Just Dance series to shine on the silver screen. The only problem here is that after production company Screen Gems won the motion picture rights to Just Dance all the way in 2019, we've heard next to nothing on the status of this project.
17. The Legend of Zelda
Sony and Nintendo, working together again? That's the plan, as Sony's movie business has big plans to turn The Legend of Zelda into a live-action film. Maze Runner's Wes Ball is attached to direct this adaptation of Nintendo's massively popular franchise, and while we don't what the story will be and who might play Zelda and Link in the film, Sony CEO Kenichiro Hirada is already hyping up the project as an "amazing tale of adventure and discovery" ahead of its eventual release.
18. Martha is Dead
Don't let the title fool you, because this isn't a Batman prequel movie! Instead, Martha is Dead is a creepy thriller set against the backdrop of Italy during World War 2. As the twin sister of Martha, who was recently discovered drowned and dead in a lake, players had to navigate a tangled web of mystery as the Allied war machine edged closer to home. The game developer, LKA, has teamed up with UK publisher Wired Productions and Swedish film production company Studios Extraordinaires for this film project.
19. Metal Gear Solid
Kong: Skull Island director Jordan Vogt-Roberts's Metal Gear Solid project has been gestating for close to a decade now, and it looks increasingly likely that it's stuck in development hell. Updates have been few and far between, with the last notable mention of the film being in 2022 when Oscar Isaac--who is attached to play Solid Snake--mentioned that the focus was on finding a good story to do the legendary game justice.
20. Mortal Kombat 2
Get ready for round 2! 2021's Mortal Kombat movie generated an impressive $84.4 million at the box office, and for the sequel, the original--and surviving--cast will all be making a comeback. Mortal Kombat 2 once again features Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade, Josh Lawson as Kano, Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion, Tadanobu Asano as Lord Raiden, Mehcad Brooks as Jax, and Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, and this time, Karl Urban joins them as brash Hollywood A-lister Johnny Cage.
Plot details haven't been revealed yet, but in a previous interview, director Simon McQuoid did tease that the lush realm of Edenia could be explored in the follow-up.
21. Pac-Man
We've had Pac-Man cartoon series, a starring role in a Futurama episode, and a villainous turn in an Adam Sandler film, and at long last, Bandai Namco's pellet-chomping hero is ready for top billing. A live-action project based on an original idea from Sonic the Hedgehog movie producer Chuck Williams has been announced, but there have been no further details revealed yet on the potential cast, director, or a release date since the 2022 announcement.
22. Pokemon: Detective Pikachu sequel
2019's Detective Pikachu had a great box office run, sleuthing up an impressive $433 million worldwide. A sequel starring the gumshoe electric rat was a safe bet, but several years later, details on the sequel have been hard to come by. A representative for Legendary Entertainment said that the film is still "in active development," but beyond that, details on this movie are scarcer than a shiny Pokemon in the wild.
23. Poppy Playtime
We might be looking at a new boom in horror movies starring sadistic mascots after the success of Five Nights at Freddy's, and you can add Poppy Playtime to that list. The original game is set in an abandoned toy factory inhabited by killer collectibles, and for the film adaptation, Studio71 is handling production duties. The studio is well-known for its work on the recent VHS horror movies, making this company a good fit for the unique terror of Poppy Playtime.
24. Portal
It has been a long time since there has been any movement on Portal, Valve's wonderfully challenging game of interdimensional puzzles, but producer JJ Abrams really wants you to know that the film project isn't dead yet. Or at least, it was definitely still being worked on in 2021 when Abrams mentioned that a script was being written. Is the film cake a lie? Only time will tell.
25. Rabbids
It was only a matter of time until the Minions of video games, Rabbids, were optioned for a film deal. Film production company Lionsgate landed the movie rights to Ubisoft's Rabbids in 2019, but like several other video game movie projects, this appears to be another gaming IP stuck in development hell, much to the relief of parents across the world.
27. Return to Silent Hill
There are some lofty expectations for Return to Silent Hill, as not only is this psychological-horror movie rebooting the film series, but it's also taking a stab at adapting what many fans consider to be the best game in the franchise. Starring Jeremy Irvine and Hannah Emily Anderson, Return to Silent Hill is directed by Christophe Gans. The French film director brought Silent Hill to the big screen in 2006, and filming began in Germany and Eastern Europe in April 2023.
28. Saints Row
Another video game movie possibly stuck in development hell, there have been zero updates on the Saints Row project for several years now. At the time, writer Greg Russo said that his script was inspired by The Warriors and Escape from New York, and F. Gary Gray (The Fate of the Furious) was set to direct it.
29. Sifu
John Wick creator Derek Kolstad announced his plans to adapt the hard-hitting action game Sifu to the big screen in 2022, bringing the bone-crunching brutality of this martial arts epic to life. While the story of a martial arts prodigy out for revenge is fairly standard stuff in the genre, Sifu's added twist is that the vengeance-driven protagonist is in possession of a magical talisman that can bring them back to life, but they'll age after each use. Kolstad envisions the film as John Wick meets M. Night Shyamalan's Old, which should make for an interesting action film if it ever gets greenlit.
30. Slime Rancher
Slime Rancher is one of the most adorable games around--and one of the highest-rated on Steam--as the core pitch of wrangling cute blobs on a distant alien planet makes for some engaging fun. Not much is known about this project yet, but what we do know is that the story of young rancher Beatrix LeBeau is being adapted by Story Kitchen, a production company set up by John Wick writer Derek Kolstad.
31. Space Channel 5
One of the defining games of the Sega Dreamcast, Space Channel 5 might sound like an obscure property to revive as a movie, but this wacky game has an equally weird pitch that could put butts in seats. The film version has been described as a mix of comedy and dance, all set to the story of a hapless fast-food worker who is recruited by a freedom reporter from the future to save the world from aliens. How? By using the power of viral dancing to save the day. So basically, TikTok: The Movie.
32. Space Invaders
Invaders! From space! New Line Cinema announced in 2019 that the classic Taito arcade game was headed to a movie screen near you, but several years later, it looks like those hostile extraterrestrials might have gotten stuck in a black hole on the way. Mortal Kombat writer Greg Russo was hired to write the script back then, but there's been no word then about the status of this alien invasion project.
33. Stray
Currently in development at Annapur(r)na Animation, Stray is another recent game destined for a silver screen debut in the future. The original game mixed stealth and post-apocalyptic vibes, but with the neat twist of controlling an orange tabby cat looking for a way back home. Along the way, the cat crosses paths with the flying drone B12, an ally who helps the furry creature escape a city of robots and parasites.
34. Street Fighter
We've had two live-action Street Fighter movies over the decades, one being so wonderfully awful that it's actually good, and the other one being downright terrible and devoid of any Tuesday memes whatsoever. Is the third time the charm then for this franchise? Talk to Me directors Duo Danny and Michael Philippou, will be developing the film for Capcom and Legendary Entertainment, and if anyone can bring the brutal absurdity of Street Fighter to life, it might be these YouTubers-turned-filmmakers. If you're familiar with their online work--especially their Ronald McDonald series of blood-soaked shorts--you know exactly what they're capable of.
35. Streets of Rage
Yet another project with a John Wick link to it, Sega's rough-and-tough Streets of Rage adaptation is once again a film that Derek Kolstad is involved with. An action-packed staple of the '90s, Streets of Rage was successfully revived several years ago for a fourth outing, and a new game in the series is on the way as part of Sega's new initiative to flex some retro muscles.
36. Talking Tom
If there's one thing that Hollywood has proven over the years, it's that anything can be a movie--even a collection of mobile apps featuring anthropomorphic animals talking back to you. The jury is still out on whether a good Talking Tom movie is possible, and to make things even weirder, this live-action project from Outfit7 has recruited Assassin's Creed producer Jean-Julien Baronnet to help it make the leap from mobile to big screen. Baronnet is also the producer of the Rabbids Invasion television series, so this looks like a good fit.
37. Bendy and the Ink Machine
What if Walt Disney ditched Mickey Mouse for blood-curdling horror? You'd have Bendy and the Ink Machine, a delightfully macabre send-up of classic animation full of devious puzzles to solve. With Five Nights at Freddy proving to be a huge hit at the box office, horror games are quickly being optioned by studios and this adaptation will be handled by Radar Pictures, the company behind the Jumanji reboots. Beyond that, not much else is known about the project other than Bendy creator Paul Crawford's pledge to make a "quality" film that honors the source material.
38. Comix Zone
Comix Zone, a game for which advertisements were plastered over pretty much every Marvel and DC comic book in 1995, is another retro game property coming to the big screen eventually, maybe. First announced in 2022 and described as a loose adaptation of the game--which was inspired in turn by comic books of the era--the film will follow "a jaded comic book creator and a writer who find themselves sucked into the final issue of his popular series and must fight their way out of the printed pages to stop a supervillain hellbent on destruction”. Written by Mae Catt (Young Justice), the film is also aiming to explore the power of storytelling.
