There have been thousands of games released over the years. Some games have had their shot at a live-action project whether it’s a series or movie. Some hit the mark like Last of Us and Fallout, some failed such as Resident Evil and Assassin’s Creed. Either way, it shows how impactful video games are, to the point that they could be interesting enough to be shown as a series or on the big screen.
Here are 5 video gaming franchises I’d love to see be shown in a live-action setting, whether that be a series or a movie. These are in no particular order and are of my own opinion.
1. God of War
There has been talk for a while now about who could play Kratos. Triple H, Big Show, and even the voice actor himself, Christopher Judge. All of these would be great choices to play the God killer himself. God of War is a franchise that gets thrown around fairly often when we talk about what particular video games could do well in a live-action setting, God of War is always once.
Admittedly, I’ve only played God of War and Ragnarok. However, from those experiences, I’ve become a huge fan of the franchise. I’ve always had a profound interest in Norse mythology which I think stems from Thor in the MCU. I believe God of War would be one of the best options out of all franchises that could work as a movie or a series.
2. Red Dead Redemption
Red Dead Redemption has spawned 2 games in total with the second being a prequel to the first. The Red Redemption series, especially the second has some of the best storytelling I’ve ever seen in a video game. I’ve already talked about wanting a series dedicated to this as we could begin with the events of Blackwater, to game #2, and then the first.
There aren’t many games that even remotely come close to the depth these games had. I have recently been playing the second game again and it’s crazy that a game that’s over 6 years old still practically plays better than any AAA game that’s out today. It begs belief what GTA 6 is going to be like. However, from a storytelling perspective, a live-action series that follows the events of the game closely would be incredible.
3. Days Gone
Days Gone is one of those games that is often overlooked when it comes to a live-action project. I feel like this is simply because the game underperformed at launch which is partly why we’ve likely never had a sequel. Days Gone gained traction though when the PS5 was launched and Sony launched multiple PS4 exclusives for free, however, despite any of that, there’s no news of anything happening with this.
Days Gone had an incredible story. It featured Deacon St. John as a biker who survived when the zombie outbreak began. He was searching for his wife who in the end was presumed dead. It’s a story that begins with such dread and loss, slowly turning into an emotional masterpiece. I’ve played through Days Gone 3 times and I’ve loved it every single time I’ve done so.
4. Gears of War
Gears of War 3. Dom’s death. I haven’t played a lot of the recent Gears games but that game will forever live with me. Peak Xbox 360 days above all else and that scene when Dom perishes has still stuck with me all of these years. Gears of War has such a vast and unique world that a movie would do wonders here. I’m still surprised that this hasn’t already been done.
I do think if a Gears were to ever happen, the focal point should be Marcus and Dom which begins right at the beginning of the franchise. A movie like this would require a huge budget but I think with the direction, script, and cast, there’s no way that this couldn’t work but it would have to be done right.
5. Final Fantasy
Each Final Fantasy game is different but there’s been some hits over the years without a doubt. From 7, 10, and even 15 which is a personal favorite of mine. Final Fantasy is one of those games that could easily adapt a live-action project using an already established story or they could branch out and think for themselves something creative.
I’ve always been impressed by the stories, the worlds, the environments and it’s one of those gaming franchises where you know you’re playing a Final Fantasy game. After so many games and spin-off games, I’m surprised this hasn’t already been done especially on the big screen. Hopefully, this is something that could potentially be looked at in the future.
Of course, others deserve a mention like Bioshock. Others had a failed live-action project that could do with another such as Assassin’s Creed or Resident Evil. Overall, there have been some exceptional games with some memorable stories that I would never mind being revived and shown in a live-action setting.
