We are fortunate to be living in the best era for video game adaptations to the world of film and television. Nowadays, the people who grew up playing all these excellent 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 of course, 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 known 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 enough to enjoy a lot of Live Action projects that managed to use the best elements of our favorite video games to perfection. But… What are the best adaptations in this style? Here we present you the definitive list with some of the most outstanding exponents.
What is the best Live Action series or movie that is based on a video game?
Fallout (2024) – Series
The recent Fallout series on Amazon Prime Video immediately became a hit with critics around the world. 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 does not intervene in the “canon” of the game. With a colorful cinematic style, incredible performances by actors such as Ella Purnell or 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
While it’s not a perfect series and has its fair share of detractors, there’s no denying that The Last of Us series that launched on MAX last year is one of the best video game adaptations in history. It was praised by fans and specialized critics alike and even took home 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 trouble to adapt and expand it in an efficient way. And the thrilling performances of Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey brought Joel and Ellie to life.
Twisted Metal (2023) – Series
Everyone was surprised when the streaming service Peacock announced that it was producing a Twisted Metal Live Action series. This video game franchise with vehicular combat from Sony is 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’s a very fun adventure, full of color and violence. Not to mention all the unbridled vehicular action. With excellent performances from big name actors like Anthony Mackie, Stephanie Beatriz and Will Arnett as the voice of the iconic Sweet Tooth, this series breathed new life into this forgotten franchise.
Halo (2022) – Series
Unfortunately, the Halo series on 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 were not at all fond of the characterization of the protagonist, Master Chief, and his constant tendency to remove 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 drama of the humans and explores Master Chief’s character in more depth. We hope they keep it up and that the third season will be even more interesting and faithful to the games.
Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019) – Movie
The PokĂ©mon franchise always had one of the most unique and colorful worlds in the entire video game industry How could all these crazy creatures be adapted into a Live Action project? We got the answer to this question in 2019, with the release of Detective Pikachu. The biggest strength of this movie is the designs of the PokĂ©mon that populate its trapping world, which look simply amazing (Or adorable, in the case of Pikachu or Psyduck). And since it’s based on one of the franchise’s most overlooked spin-offs, it uses this to its advantage to tell a fun, exciting, mystery-filled story that the whole family can enjoy.
Sonic The Hedgehog 1 and 2 (2020 y 2022) – Movie
Remember when Sonic’s Live Action movie was revealed and its design was so ugly that Paramount was forced to change it? It’s amazing to think that it’s been so long since then and now that movie and its sequel are so beloved that a third installment and a Knuckles TV series are already in production. Once they started using the new design, it became very apparent that the people behind these tapes have a great deal 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 Dr. Eggman.
Mortal Kombat (2021) – Movies
Mortal Kombat had already had a very good adaptation in 1995, but this movie was always criticized for not having as much violence as the original video games. That is why the recent 2021 film took advantage of this opportunity to create an action-packed, gore-filled adventure that is full of dynamic fights with excellent choreography. The lore of the games was utilized in surprising ways, with appearances from all kinds of fighters, both iconic and forgotten. Although the fact that the protagonist is an original character rubbed some fans the wrong way, this movie 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 Five Night At Freddy’s video game series, this adaptation was stuck in development for many, many years, but was finally released in 2023. The most memorable part is its impressive animatronics of Freddy, Bonnie, Chica and Foxy made by The Jim Henson Company. These not only look just like the ones from the games, but they also look quite disturbing. Good use was also made of the complex lore of this universe, especially in developing the story of the villain William Afton. Although the plot and scares left much to be desired by critics, this movie was a huge box office success and a sequel has already been approved.
It’s hard to believe that all these classic video games have been adapted in a hyper-realistic way with human actors, and have turned out so well, but all these movies and series are the perfect example that these projects can work if they are made by teams that care about the source material. And the best part is that this new trend won’t stop, as we will soon be able to see other quite promising Live Action adaptations, such as the Borderlands movie, the Minecraft movie, The Legend of Zelda movie or the God of War series.
Do you agree with this list? Which is your favorite videogame adaptation to Live Action?