The games Hollywood should adapt next

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For a long time, the worlds of film and gaming were like oil and water, and couldn't be combined at all. The number of films that became good games and games that became good films from the 80s, 90s and 00s can therefore be easily counted. But sometime in the last five to ten years, the code for how best to adapt games for the screen seems to have been cracked, and today the opposite is true, with more good projects than bad ones.

That is why there is currently a scramble for licences for games to be adapted for film, and sometimes the titles are not even released before we hear about interested film companies. No idea is too obscure, and Swedish developer Embark Studios reports considerable interest from Hollywood in Arc Raiders, even though it is a distinctly multiplayer title that has only been on the market for a short time.

This has prompted Nintendo itself to loosen its otherwise tight grip on Mario films and, next, Zelda, where they have already said they are keen for more of the same. But... there are still plenty of games that have never been made into films and that really deserved the chance. Here are the game adaptations I would have liked to see.

Golden Axe (Sega, 1989)

It's actually quite unbelievable that this hasn't been made into a film yet. For over 20 years, Hollywood has been looking for a successor to The Lord of the Rings. Whether Golden Axe fits the bill is unclear, but it has a very enjoyable and rather rugged fantasy world with some more unusual elements and a design reminiscent of classic Conan adventures. In short, it could have been a film full of barbarism, magic and revenge. Perfect for a raw, mythical film with dragons, demons and half-naked iconic heroes.

Star Fox (Nintendo, 1993)

The game with the legendary Super FX chip should definitely be Nintendo's next film adaptation. It has the soundtrack, all the action and characters, and wonderful design. This would work both as a slightly lighter, fully rendered film or something more reminiscent of the Avatar look, as we follow Fox McCloud and his friends in heroic battles against Andross. It would also be a film that could be extra cool to watch with the increasingly unpopular 3D glasses.

Shinobi (Sega, 1987)

During the 1980s, ninjas were everywhere, consistently portrayed by Western actors with as much knowledge of Japanese martial arts as I have of Cambodian dialect mysteries. However, it did not matter, because ninjas are always cool. Today, however, there are countless actors with incredible martial arts skills, and it's high time to unleash Joe Musashi on the silver screen in a revenge adventure filled with Japanese mumbo jumbo, stylish jump kicks, throwing stars and stealth murders. Preferably with a little story inspiration from John Wick.

Titanfall (EA, 2014)

Electronic Arts seems completely uninterested in doing anything fun with the Titanfall universe. So why not give it to Hollywood instead for a really meaty action adventure with mech pilots, fierce battles and, above all, enormous mechs? All while humanity's outposts on the edge of the galaxy are at stake. Handled right, this could have been a hugely successful film series - which, ironically, could have been just what was needed to get a new game off the ground.

A Plague Tale (Asobo Studio, 2019)

This is almost overqualified. In many ways, it already has a script ready, as well as a protagonist who is perfectly suited to the times and could be played by Stranger Things star Nell Fisher. Then we could have enjoyed a cinematic interpretation of French medieval history without knights and other hackneyed elements, where strict survival was on the agenda with an almost horror-like premise.

Red Dead Redemption (Rockstar, 2010)

One could certainly argue that it is not necessary, as the game is already cinematic and masterful, but there are so many stories left to tell while we wait for Rockstar to make a third game (which is unlikely to happen before the 2030s). Marston's story in particular deserves to be explored further, and good Westerns on the silver screen can often be truly magical.