Video game adaptations don’t have the best reputation when it comes to movies; not only in terms of adapting a prior work but as a feature film itself. Few of the video game movies are even liked by fans themselves. Despite the lack of critical success that has been seen, they continue to be made because sometimes they breakthrough the barrier and manage to grab an audience and bring in box office results.
What keeps video games from achieving the pinnacle of critical and commercial success that other art forms have when adapted into movies? Simply, it’s the interactive relationship between the player and the game. When players have the choice of doing what they want, customizing their character or items, and taking a divergent path in a story than their friends, then a new relationship is formed with the game, and that can’t be replicated in a film.
Ranging from the first video game movies, 1993’s Super Mario Bros. based on the hit series by Nintendo, to the latest film in the long line of films, Duncan Jones’ gigantic blockbuster Warcraft, dive into the box office history of video game movies below!
Video Game Movie Slideshows
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Video Game Movies: Who Has the Highest Score at the Box Office?
Video game adaptations don't have the best reputation when it comes to movies; not only in terms of adapting a prior work but as a feature film itself. Few of the video game movies are even liked by fans themselves. Despite the lack of critical success that has been seen, they continue to be made because sometimes they breakthrough the barrier and manage to grab an audience and bring in box office results.
What keeps video games from achieving the pinnacle of critical and commercial success that other art forms have when adapted into movies? Simply, it's the interactive relationship between the player and the game. When players have the choice of doing what they want, customizing their character or items, and taking a divergent path in a story than their friends, then a new relationship is formed with the game, and that can't be replicated in a film.
Ranging from the first video game movies, 1993's Super Mario Bros. based on the hit series by Nintendo, to the latest film in the long line of films, Duncan Jones' gigantic blockbuster Warcraft, dive into the box office history of video game movies below!
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#36 Double Dragon
Based on the side-scrolling beat 'em up by Technōs Japan
Release date: November 4, 1994
Worldwide box office total: $2.34 million
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#35 BloodRayne
Based on the action game by Terminal Reality
Release date: January 6, 2006
Worldwide box office total: $3.65 million
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#34 DOA: Dead or Alive
Based on the fighting series by Team Ninja
Release date: June 15, 2007
Worldwide box office total: $7.5 million
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#33 Ratchet and Clank
Based on the platformer series by Insomniac Games
Release date: April 29, 2016
Worldwide box office total: $8.8 million
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#32 Alone in the Dark
Based on the survival horror series by Infogrames
Release date: January 28, 2005
Worldwide box office total: $10.4 million
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#31 Wing Commander
Based on the space combat simulation video games from Origin Systems, Inc.
Release date: March 12, 1999
Worldwide box office total: $11.5 million
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#30 Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li
Based on the fighting series by Capcom
Release date: February 27, 2009
Worldwide box office total: $12.7 million
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#29 In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale
Based on the RPG series by Gas Powered Games
Release date: January 11, 2008
Worldwide box office total: $13 million
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#28 House of the Dead
Based on first person rail shooter by SEGA
Release date: October 10, 2003
Worldwide box office total: $13.8 million
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#27 Pokemon Heroes
Based on the RPG series by The Pokemon Company
Release date: May 16, 2003
Worldwide box office total: $20.8 million
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#26 Super Mario Bros.
Based on the platformer series by Nintendo
Release date: May 28, 1993
Worldwide box office total: $20.9 million
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#25 Pokemon 4Ever
Based on the RPG series by The Pokemon Company
Release date: October 11, 2002
Worldwide box office total: $28 million
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#24 Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
Based on the fighting game series by Midway Games
Release date: November 21, 1997
Worldwide box office total: $51.3 million
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#23 Silent Hill Revelation
Based on the horror series by Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo
Release date: October 26, 2012
Worldwide box office total: $52.3 million
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#22 DOOM
Based on the first person shooter by id Software.
Release date: October 21, 2005
Worldwide box office total: $55.9 million
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#21 Pokemon 3: The Movie
Based on the RPG series by The Pokemon Company
Release date: April 6, 2001
Worldwide box office total: $68.4 million
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#20 Hitman: Agent 47
Based on the stealth series by IO Interactive
Release date: August 21, 2015
Worldwide box office total: $82.3 million
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#19 Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within
Based on the RPG series by Square Enix
Release date: July 11, 2001
Worldwide box office total: $85.1 million
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#18 Max Payne
Based on the action-thriller by Remedy Entertainment
Release date: October 17, 2008
Worldwide box office total: $85.4 million
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#17 Silent Hill
Based on the horror series by Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo
Release date: Aril 21, 2006
Worldwide box office total: $97.6 million
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#16 Street Fighter
Based on the fighting series by Capcom
Release date: December 23, 1994
Worldwide box office total: $99.4 million
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#15 Hitman
Based on the stealth series by IO Interactive
Release date: November 21, 2007
Worldwide box office total: $99.9 million
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#14 Resident Evil
Based on survival horror series by Capcom
Release date: March 15, 2002
Worldwide box office total: $102.4
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#13 Mortal Kombat
Based on the fighting game series by Midway Games
Release date: August 18, 1995
Worldwide box office total: $122.2 million
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#12 Resident Evil: Apocalypse
Based on survival horror series by Capcom
Release date: September 10, 2004
Worldwide box office total: $129.4 million
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#11 Pokemon: The Movie 2000
Based on the RPG series by The Pokemon Company
Release date: July 21, 2000
Worldwide box office total: $133.9 million
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#10 Resident Evil: Extinction
Based on survival horror series by Capcom
Release date: September 21, 2007
Worldwide box office total: $147.7 million
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#9 Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life
Based on the action series by Core Design
Release date: July 25, 2003
Worldwide box office total: $156.5 million
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#8 Pokemon: The First Movie
Based on the RPG series by The Pokemon Company
Release date: November 10, 1999
Worldwide box office total: $163.6 million
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#7 Need for Speed
Based on the racing series by Electronic Arts
Release date: March 14, 2014
Worldwide box office total: $203.2 million
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#6 Resident Evil: Retribution
Based on survival horror series by Capcom
Release date: September 14, 2012
Worldwide box office total: $240.2 million
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#5 Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
Based on the action series by Core Design
Release date: June 15, 2001
Worldwide box office total: $274.7 million
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#4 Resident Evil: Afterlife
Based on the survival horror series by Capcom
Release date: September 10, 2010
Worldwide box office total: $296.2 million
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#3 Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Based on the action series created by Jordan Mechner
Release date: May 29, 2010
Worldwide box office total: $336.6 million
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#2 The Angry Birds Movie
Based on the puzzle game by Rovio Mobile
Release date: May 20, 2016
Worldwide box office total: $341.5 million
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#1 Warcraft
Based on the fantasy series by Blizzard Entertainment
Release date: June 10, 2016
Worldwide box office total: $430.2
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The future of video game movies...
Despite the limited success, many video game movies are still on the horizon and in the next few years some high profile adaptations are already planned.
Will they find box office fortune or will they sink like Pacman caught by a ghost?
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Assassin's Creed
Based on the historical action games by Ubisoft.
Release date: December 21, 2016
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Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
Based on the survival horror series by Capcom
Release date: January 27, 2017
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Uncharted
Based on the action-adventure series by Naughty Dog
Release date: June 30, 2017
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Tomb Raider
Based on the action series by Crystal Dynamics
Release date: March 16, 2018
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Minecraft
Based on the sandbox style game by Mojang
Release date: May 24, 2019
