Video game movies don't have a great reputation, and because of that, most of them remain in development hell. However, there has been a recent success story, as Bioshock is now being made for Netflix after struggling to get off the ground for 12 years. But there are still so many other games that deserve the same treatment.
Whether movie studios have the licensing rights or not, Redditors think these games deserve the Hollywood movie treatment. Whether it's a beloved stealth series, a dense sci-fi epic, or a top-down indie hit, they all bring something cinematically unique to the table.
Splinter Cell (2002)
Splinter Cell is one of the most groundbreaking stealth series in video game history, and a movie adaptation has been heavily speculated for years now. Splinter Cell adaptation for a while now I think. Looks like it's in development hell, maybe." With the Splinter Cell series having tie-in Tom Clancy novels, there's a possibility that audiences could see a Splinter Cell movie, but based on the novel instead of the video game and part of a larger franchise.
At the end of 2021's Without Remorse, which is also based on a Clancy novel, it teases Rainbow Six, so there could be a whole Clancy Cinematic Universe that includes Splinter Cell. However, the video game franchise tells some great stories that the books never did. Double Agent is one of the series' best video games, which follows Sam Fisher working for both the NSA and a terrorist organization, and it could make for an incredible cat-and-mouse thriller.
God Of War (2018)
It'd be God of War movie."
The makes a great choice, as though Snyder's love of CGI and his overly stylish approach might be polarizing, it lends itself well to the video game franchise. And the director loves delving into the deep mythos, whether it's with the Spartans in Zack Snyder's Justice League. So not only would a Snyder-directed God of War look the part, but he'd surely throw himself into the lore too.
Half-Life (1998)
Half-Life movie enter production "with either Bryan Cranston or Hugh Laurie playing Gordon Freeman." While those are spot-on casting choices and the game is an exciting sci-fi horror with an incredible narrative, a few things in the game wouldn't work well on the big screen.
The world-building in Half-Life is unlike any other, as the history of the Half-Life/Portal world isn't spoon-fed to players, but it's instead hidden in the background. Instead of endless exposition, players have to solve clues to understand what happened to the secret icebreaker, The Borealis, and what was inside it, and it still remains a mystery to this day. But as the mystery and the theories are part of the appeal, a movie could ruin that, as it might reveal too much that it's not exciting anymore. On top of that, Gordon Freeman is a silent protagonist, and a mute lead character in a blockbuster movie simply wouldn't work.
Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018)
Though the current state of the western genre isn't anywhere close to the popularity it reached in the 1950s and 1960s, every now and then, one comes around that takes the world by storm. Whether it's Red Dead Redemption game could be exactly that.
Redditor the best gunslinger movie of all time.
Far Cry 3 (2012)
Tropic Thunder. Both the video game and Ben Stiller-starring movie follow everymen out of their element who inadvertently finds themselves in the middle of a drug war in the jungle. And though the game isn't an outright comedy, it is heavily satirical.
However, Far Cry 3 has so many quirks and unique characters that it could stand apart from the 2008 comedy. The reason why the Redditor probably chose the third release instead of any other game in the series is because of Vaas, the terrifying and sadistic antagonist of the game, and he'd make an iconic movie villain too.
Resident Evil 4 (2005)
There hasn't just been one movie adaptation of The Final Chapter simply being a PG-13 popcorn flick.
Now, best zombie survival horror game of all time. It'd also make for an aesthetically pleasing release too, as the gothic tone and castle locations of the game are so unlike anything found in the film franchise.
Shadow Of The Colossus (2005)
2005's Shadow of the Colossus is one of the most revered games of all time, as it follows Wander who is told by a spirit to kill 16 beasts of the Forbidden Land. Mwmani thinks that, "done as a hand-drawn anime film could be spectacular." However, just like with Half-Life, it's what isn't explained to players that makes it so great.
Maybe Shadow is a sequel to the cult classic Ico, maybe it isn't. Maybe the Colossi are bad, maybe they're good. There's so much mystique to the game that makes it alluring. A movie adaptation of the game could work, especially as an anime, but it'd have to be careful with how much detail about the world is revealed. Either way, there's no denying how epic the movie has the potential to be.
Bully (2006)
Bully is one of developer Rockstar's most underrated IPs and is so much more than simply "Grand Theft Auto in school." SatansMoisture wants to see a movie adaptation of the game, and it could be a fantastic coming-of-age story. It'd also have such a unique vibe, as it's set in the spooky fictional town of Bullworth, and no coming-of-age movie has an eerie aesthetic like the one in Bully.
Unfortunately, the players are still waiting for Bully 2. The sequel was in development at Rockstar, part of the open-world had been created, and the original composer had even returned to score the follow-up game. But it looks like it'll never see the light of day.
Hotline Miami (2012)
The game lacks much of a story, The Guest, so at least we have those."
A movie adaptation of Hotline Miami would essentially be Miami Vice, so it could bring that style and tone into the modern-day.
Kane And Lynch: Dead Men (2007)
Kane and Lynch follows two guns-for-hire, and the mercenaries travel the world and land wherever they're paid the most. It could be one of the most exciting, globe-trotting action movies, and it would have been great to see Heat director Michael Mann get his hands on it in his glory days.
Kane and Lynch movie. However, the Redditor notes that they're "kinda glad the proposed movie with Jamie Foxx and Bruce Willis never happened, that's some bizarre casting." The is referring to the Deadline report that the actors had signed on to the movie in 2010.
