Videogames into Movies: The Ultimate List

[Sniderman]

Hey gang,

I know this subject has been touched upon in the past, but I’m trying to compile a complete list of all U.S. theatrical releases based on videogames. However, as I’ve made this list, a few questions have surfaced. I’ll save those for the end. Anyway, take a look and let me know what’s missing or what should be “tweaked.”

US Releases:
* Double Dragon
* Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
* Mortal Kombat
* Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
* Street Fighter
* Super Mario Bros.
* Resident Evil
* Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
* Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life

Now out/Coming soon:
* House of the Dead
* Resident Evil: Apocalypse

Honorable mentions (about videogames or plot revolves around videogames):
* Joy Sticks
* TRON
* Wargames
* Nightmares (The Bishop of Battle sequence)
* The Wizard
* Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
* eXistenZ
* The Last Starfighter
* Brainscan
* Cloak & Dagger

Projects underway (according to comingsoon.net)
* Pac-Man live-action film
* Crazy Taxi film (Richard Donner to helm it)
* Dragon's Lair film (Bluth's pet project)
* Silent Hill
* Alone in the Dark (filming just completed, to be released in 2004)
* BloodRayne (filming to begin in 2004)
* Spy Hunter (The Rock's next big movie, filming beginning soon)
* Doom
* Half-Life
* TRON 2.0 (being discussed at Disney due to succes/interest of the PC game)
* Mortal Kombat: Domination (in production, to be released in 2004)
* Max Payne

Here’s where it gets dicey. I know there are a ton of Japanese theatrical-released anime and live-action stuff based on videogames. But should I consider trying to wade through it for inclusion? I’d like to keep this simple, but that would really make it overwhelmingly complicated.

(In case anyone was curious, this is gonna be the basis/launching point of the Videogame Movie Film Festival at an upcoming con/meet - something I've always wanted to do. Sci-Fi cons and RPG cons always have a film festival. Why not our expos?)

[Achika]

Well....

You could just start by counting the Japanese-officially-released-in-the-US movies.

Parasite Eve (released by ADV)


Don't forget:

Thrill Kill

When computer software genius Carly Kendall suddenly vanishes, her sister Bobby is left to unravel the mystery. A devious police detective and a ruthless gang of money-crazed conspirators follow Bobby on the trail of suspence, with all clues leading to a $3.5 million computer theft! As the plot twists and the body count multiplies, both sides race desperately to find a secret computer code, locked deep inside a state-of-the-art video game! A high-tech tale of intrigue, treachery and murder.

Oh, btw: Sony has the RE: Apocalypse trailer & still gallery up.

http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/residentevilapocalypse/

Wasn't Duke Nukem reported years ago? Whatever happened to that?

[Oobgarm]

The plot of eXistenZ revolved around video games. Not a bad movie either.

[Darth Sensei]

I'll prolly sound stupid here, but was the game from "The Last Starfighter" ever a real video game before or after the movie?

Dave

[Sniderman]

Actually, The Last Starfighter should be with the "Honorable Mentions" list. Thanks for reminding me. And good call on eXistenZ. Forgot about that one. I also forgot about this great piece of B-horror:

Brainscan (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/6303236723/103-7747225-4466269?v=glance&vi=customer-reviews) : Edward Furlong (yup, of T2) buys a VR videogame that allows the player to do anything he/she wants in a fully-realized environment - even acts of the utmost evil. (GTA anyone?)

Gotta add these to the list. Keep 'em coming!

[IntvGene]

Add Cloak and Dagger to the Honorable Mentions. I wanted that cart so badly when I saw that movie!

[Oobgarm]

Mortal Kombat: Domination (http://imdb.com/title/tt0293429/) is in production, scheduled to release next year.

[MarioAllStar2600]

At IGN tjey said Max Payne was coming out as a movie. I think that could make a cool movie, and I would go see it. I also heard about Grand Theft Auto the movie, but after the lawsuit I doubt you will be seeing that. :(

[Arcade Antics]

<nit pick mode>

"Joy Sticks" (the movie) is actually two words. Such a stupendous piece of cinematic history certainly deserves to be treated with the proper respect!

(or maybe it already is. :) )

</nit>

[Sniderman]

Marty shoots and he scores!

http://www.gamemarketwatch.com/news/item.asp?nid=1674

And I'll change Joy Sticks, ya big baby. :D

Any other *released* films gang?

[TheRedEye]

You've listed everything I know, so I really don't have anything to contribute here other than, hey! Good thread idea! I've had similar discussions at odd hours of the night over shitty coffee and $0.99 graveyard special breakfast, we came up with all on your list and no others.

[IntvGene]

I did a keyword search of video games at Allmovie.com.

Here's the link:
http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=3:K||4584
(I can't get it in the automatic URL becuase of the special characters, copy and paste the ENTIRE string)

I think that there are a couple not in the list. You'll have to decide what ones meet your criteria. Hope it helps. There's even a Corey Haim movie in there.

[Raccoon Lad]

Don't forget that 1986? japanese animated Super Mario movie

[Kid Fenris]

Here’s where it gets dicey. I know there are a ton of Japanese theatrical-released anime and live-action stuff based on videogames. But should I consider trying to wade through it for inclusion? I’d like to keep this simple, but that would really make it overwhelmingly complicated.

There are a number of anime adaptations of video games, but few of them are actual theatrical releases. The number of game-based anime films released in America is fairly limited.

Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture
Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie
Sakura Wars: The Movie

I'm probably forgetting a few, but some game adaptations are dubbed "The Motion Picture" when they're just direct-to-video stuff.

[RetroYoungen]

Maybe I'm just an odd-ball and can't see it, but how in the HELL can one make a live-action Pac-Man flick? Did they make him some sort of "Sixth Sense" character, able to see and be tortured by ghosts? Or is he the same ball of yellow we all still love and will soon have disgust for because of a movie-making bastard bent on destroying him?

[Sniderman]

Maybe I'm just an odd-ball and can't see it, but how in the HELL can one make a live-action Pac-Man flick? Did they make him some sort of "Sixth Sense" character, able to see and be tortured by ghosts? Or is he the same ball of yellow we all still love and will soon have disgust for because of a movie-making bastard bent on destroying him?

Who knows, but here's the story:

http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/376/376362p1.html?fromint=1

Wow, and they keep coming in. Who list of "Under Development" titles at
Filmforce: (http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/370/370998p1.html)

Alice - based on American McGee's Alice, to be directed by Wes Craven, of all people.
Deus Ex
Diablo
DOA: The Movie
Driver
Duke Nukem
Fatal Frame
The Getaway
GTA
Hitman
Mechwarrior
Metroid
Nightmare Creatures
Return to Castle Wolfenstein
Soul Calibur
Tekken

I think I might rethink the list to include only movie that have been released or those undergoing filming. The pet projects are adding up to the point where EVERY game seems to have a movie in the works.

[RetroYoungen]

Maybe I'm just an odd-ball and can't see it, but how in the HELL can one make a live-action Pac-Man flick? Did they make him some sort of "Sixth Sense" character, able to see and be tortured by ghosts? Or is he the same ball of yellow we all still love and will soon have disgust for because of a movie-making bastard bent on destroying him?

Who knows, but here's the story:

http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/376/376362p1.html?fromint=1

Wow, and they keep coming in. Who list of "Under Development" titles at
Filmforce: (http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/370/370998p1.html)



LMAO! Some of this is hilarious. When I read that page with the Pac info on it, I nearly bust out laughing in the library: I got just an image of all these obsenely fat people painted yellow walking around eating giant fruit and eating little kids dressed in sheets for Halloween!

Oh, and is it just me, or is Milla Jovovich trying to make herself out to be the Über video game chick that everyone thinks about whenever they play a female character?

[Raccoon Lad]

They're gonna make a Driver movie? That's odd seing as "driver" was based on a movie "the driver" to begin with.

[djbeatmongrel]

You guys forgot "Starship Troopers", it was a horrorable movie but its based off of the pc game

[Sniderman]

You guys forgot "Starship Troopers", it was a horrorable movie but its based off of the pc gameUh, "Starship Troopers" was originally a book by Robert Heinlein written in 1959.

[Sniderman]

They're gonna make a Driver movie? That's odd seing as "driver" was based on a movie "the driver" to begin with.yeah, and The Italian Job was a movie (Caine) that was made into a game (Take Two) that was made into a movie (Walberg) that was made into a game (Eidos). There's a lot of those round-robins out there. x_x

[djbeatmongrel]

hmm didn't know that

[Jorpho]

Lawnmower Man.

Do House of the Dead and Alone in the Dark honestly have anything whatsoever to do with the games of the same name? It's ridiculous!

[digitalpress]

Lawnmower Man was a game based on a movie (something we'd need a much bigger boat for), not vice versa.

[Sofa King Gud]

At IGN tjey said Max Payne was coming out as a movie. I think that could make a cool movie, and I would go see it. I also heard about Grand Theft Auto the movie, but after the lawsuit I doubt you will be seeing that. :(

I heard that Vin Diesel was most likely to play the role of Max. :hmm: That doesn't work at all...

[Miguel_The_Machine]

Sweet can't wait until Mortal Kombat: Domination, I loved the first two movie's now a third this to good to be true! @_@

[Miguel_The_Machine]

Sweet can't wait until Mortal Kombat: Domination, I loved the first two movie's now a third this to good to be true! @_@

[lionforce]

Hell Yeah, these lists could be an excellent ongoing project, I know Sniderman doesnt want to make it complicated but I think he should go all out:

1) Games to Movies
2) Movies to Games
3) Anime to Games
4) Games to Anime
All 4 of the above should include Worldwide information, not just US and Japan (3 and 4 probably deal with Japan only but 1 and 2 might go beyond Japan and the US)

[Jorpho]

Lawnmower Man was a game based on a movie (something we'd need a much bigger boat for), not vice versa.

Well, video games were still very much involved (as in eXistenZ, Joy Sticks, etc.), were they not?

If they can attach the House of the Dead name to a movie for no particular reason, I wonder what game might be next? Time Crisis? The King of Fighters? (The King of Fighters would be a fine name for an utterly generic martial arts movie.)