The Best Movie-Game Crossovers

The Best Movie-Game Crossovers

Photo: Mikel via Unsplash

The current gaming landscape is a cornucopia of content. In addition to the stacks of sequels to the AAA franchises, players today have access to hundreds of thousands of other types of game. Some of the most popular ones include casual titles like Candy Crush and Wordle, as well as free-to-play MMORPGs like Runescape. Online casinos are also in high demand, helped by sites like oddschecker that connect players to the best promotional offers and bonuses to use when they sign up. 

With so much competition, developers have to work hard to create games that are unique and make players want to buy them. 

One way has been to create crossovers, either by incorporating movie characters into video games or taking a video game and adapting it for the big screen. Some of these have been major flops, such as the 1993 Super Mario Bros. live-action production which did not represent the Nintendo games in any way. 

On the other hand, some are brilliant, winning acclaim from critics and fans alike. 

Detective Pikachu (2019)

Detective Pikachu is a movie adaptation of a video game of the same name, which, itself, is a spin-off from the main Pokémon franchise. 

It offers a lot to fans, including a cute fluffy Pikachu in a detective’s hat, a unique story, and plenty of action. Put it all together, and it’s easy to see why it was a major commercial success and enjoyed decent reviews from critics and fans. 

Grand Theft Auto

There is a movie that shares a name with the hit video game franchise, Grand Theft Auto, but the two are unrelated. Instead, the crossovers in GTA are satirical puns and nods to the films the creators used for inspiration. 

For example, in Vice City, the mansion that players take control of bears a striking resemblance to the estate owned by Tony Montana in Scarface (1983). The undercover cops that start chasing you when you have a three-star wanted level are a nod to Miami Vice, and the mission “Keep Your Friends Close” is a reference to the famous Godfather Part II (1974) quote. 

Lara Croft

Lara Croft is one of the most-loved video game characters and a 1990s icon. The Tomb Raider video game series that she’s from has been released on almost every platform over the last three decades, so it was only a matter of time before Hollywood picked it up. 

In fact, studios have had two separate attempts. The first, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider was released in 2001. Starring Angelina Jolie, it had all the ingredients to be a success. However, it did not go down well with the critics and was described as a “Disaster” by IGN.

The second attempt, Lara Croft (2018) which had Alicia Vikander at the helm, was a raging success and became one of the best movie adaptations of all time. 

Published on 16 December 2022
Last update : 16 December 2022

This article is about...

Leave a comment

*