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Jakejames Lugo is a writer that has been covering video games and other entertainment for many years. He has written and published reviews, guides, listicles, and other content that anyone interested in gaming would follow. A lot of his work can be found in places like IGN, Dot Esports, Red Bull Gaming, The Outerhaven, Playboy Gaming, and many other outlets.
Jakejames continues to be part of the big conversations surrounding video games and entertainment. You can always find him sharing his undying passion for games online.
Years ago, people used to dread seeing a video game franchise getting adapted into a movie or television project. The stigma attached to projects like this was always negative, since many video game adaptations were constantly bad in the eyes of fans. But with more and more games being turned into full-length series and blockbuster films that have become successful at the box office or on streaming services, gamers have become more open to this happening for some of the biggest franchises in gaming. And the next few years show no signs of slowing down, with game companies and Hollywood studios working together to bring their series to life.
Some of the most successful franchises to make the jump to live-action movies and TV shows include games like Fallout and Twisted Metal. While there was skepticism at first, the result was a complete turnaround with their releases, with many people tuning in each week to watch them. Fans loved seeing a respect and reverence in the handling of their favorite games being brought into a different medium, especially when there's a great story to follow and tons of fan service for those who played the games. And with some major upcoming video game adaptations set to take movie theaters and streamers by storm, I'm excited to see the pendulum shift to the other side. Here are four live-action game adaptations I'm excited to see coming soon, and why you need to start getting hyped for them now.
BioShock
Making Rapture real to everyone
The BioShock series has a beloved legacy of games that people still praise to this day. The first game is viewed as one of the best first-person shooters of all-time, and the two sequels to follow it are beloved FPS classics that are constantly brought up in conversations. But a live-action adaptation of the series never quite materialized, despite the topic being brought up many times over the years. It wasn't until Netflix announced that they would be partnering with Take-Two and 2K Games to bring the franchise to life in a live-action movie.
Plot details and specifics about the story are still being kept under wraps, but the little information reported about the project has fans getting excited. A script was written and has been the basis for the project since news began to come out about it in media outlets. Attached to the project is producer Roy Lee, who went on to confirm in an interview that the project will be based on the first game. This means Netflix will be adapting the world of Rapture from the first entry in the series for the film, instead of the world of Columbia from the third game, BioShock Infinite. Development for the movie is active, with Francis Lawrence set to direct, who previously worked on The Hunger Games films.
Credit: Source: SteamDoes this mean we'll get to see a hulking Big Daddy walking around in live-action? Most likely, yes. But who will be playing any of the parts in the game's story is still unknown, as casting hasn't been discussed by anyone attached to the project. Fans have worried about some ongoing delays because of Netflix experiencing budget cuts and layoffs, but the company assured fans that development is still going well. We might not be able to see BioShock until sometime in 2027, but it may be well worth the wait to see Rapture brought to life in all of its horrifying splendor.
Systems
Released September 13, 2016
ESRB mature 17+
Developer(s) 2K Games, 2K
Publisher(s) 2K Games
Engine havok, unreal engine 3
Multiplayer Online Multiplayer
Franchise BioShock
God of War (Series)
Kratos comes to Amazon
To say that the God of War franchise is massive for PlayStation would be an understatement. The 2018 reboot of the series, and it's sequel God of War: Ragnarok were among the most beloved PlayStation titles in recent memory. And while fans still love the original saga based on Greco-Roman mythology from the PlayStation 2, the Norse saga on the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 have a huge audience. But trying to bring such an epic story into a live-action project is no easy task to accomplish, which would be intimidating for any studio. But Amazon is looking to create a series based on the 2018 entry of the franchise, which focuses on Kratos and his son Atreus as they clash with the Norse gods.
For many fans, God of War in 2018 was the most complex and emotional version of the character of Kratos, adding dimension to his story beyond the original games that came before. His son Atreus is an integral part of seeing Kratos in a whole new light, not just as a brute who rips apart colossal enemies and destroys deities. The game's plot really focused on the relationship between father and son, which extended into the action that had Kratos fighting various mythological beings from Norse mythology. It's a solid starting point for Amazon's series, especially one that is so beloved by fans that it would generate a lot of interest in the live-action show.
Credit: Source: SteamAmazon is working together with Sony Santa Monica Studio's Cory Balrog, who was a key figure in making the 2018 game the major hit that it was. Although the series is still in the scripting phase and hasn't cast any of the key roles just yet, the showrunner is Ronald D. Moore, who has worked on hit shows like Battlestar Galactica in the past. The plan is to have a ten-episode season for God of War, which will cover the entire main plot of the game. Filming is expected to start in 2026, so we may not get to see Kratos in live-action until 2027 or 2028. But given the length of time to tell this story, it might be the right move to bring such an epic story from an epic series to life.
Systems
Released April 20, 2018
ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
Developer(s) Santa Monica Studio
Publisher(s) Sony
Engine Proprietary Engine
Franchise God of War
Gears of War
The squad is coming to Netflix
Back in 2022, Netflix picked up the rights to adapt the Gears of War series into a live-action movie. For a while, many people have expressed interest in adapting the games because of how popular the franchise has been over the years. But it wasn't until this move by Netflix that this came closer to becoming a reality for fans. According to reports at the time, Netflix wanted to first create a live-action film based on the series, and then follow-up with adult animations that took place in the same world. This is something very similar to what the streamer has done for other video game franchises, including Splinter Cell and Castlevania, but without live-action projects attached to them.
The Gears of War movie has some real talent that is confirmed to be linked to it. Netflix is working together with Gears developer The Coalition in producing the movie, with David Leitch and Kelly McCormick under their company 87North. The script for the film is being written by Jon Spaihts, who also worked on the first Dune movie. Specific details about the plot are unknown, or if the movie will be a one-to-one adaptation of the story in the first game, but there's a lot of promise for the project becoming a success for Netflix. In the past, Gears of War fans have fan-casted WWE star Batista as the game's hero, Marcus Fenix. Whether Netflix will look into such a casting or go in a different direction is anyone's guess, but things may be coming together for the movie sooner than we think.
Released August 26, 2025
ESRB Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
Developer(s) The Coalition
Publisher(s) Xbox Game Studios
Multiplayer Online Co-Op, Local Co-Op, Online Multiplayer
The Legend of Zelda
Hyrule finally realized
One of the most anticipated game to live-action film adaptations is the upcoming project from Nintendo and Sony Pictures Entertainment, The Legend of Zelda. For now, it's not yet known whether the movie will be an adaptation of the iconic Nintendo games, or a completely original story. But that hasn't stopped the hype for fans about the movie, which is set to release on May 7, 2027. Theories about how the movie will fit into the official The Legend of Zelda timeline have also been abundant, especially since this is one of the few major offshoot projects related to the series that is not a video game. In the past,The Legend of Zelda has seen a cartoon series and various books, with varying degrees of success over the years.
Besides the release date of the film in theaters, the only other major news about it was the casting announcement for who would play the roles of Link and Princess Zelda. Benjamin Evan Ainsworth and Bo Bragason will play the iconic characters in the movie, but details about what versions they would be of them have yet to be revealed. The Legend of Zelda series creator Shigeru Miyamoto expressed his support and enthusiasm for the project when it was first officially revealed in November 2023. He is producing the movie together with Avi Arad, the former CEO of Marvel Studios.
Credit: Source: NintendoDirecting the movie is Wes Ball, a big budget director whose previous work includes Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and the Maze Runner trilogy. In interviews, Wes Ball expressed that a story like The Legend of Zelda needs to feel grounded, while also giving people an escape and feeling both whimsical and fun. There is still a lot of time before we finally see the kingdom of Hyrule rendered in live-action on the big screen. But with the amount of talent and passion behind the project, Nintendo fans may be in for something truly special.
Systems
Released May 12, 2023
ESRB Rated E for Everyone 10+ for Fantasy Violence and Mild Suggestive Themes
Developer(s) Nintendo
Publisher(s) Nintendo
Engine Havok
Cross-Platform Play N/A
Cross Save N/A
When games come to life
People love seeing more projects related to their favorite video games, especially when they're done in live-action. Although it was believed that video game adaptations were always terrible back in the day, that attitude has heavily shifted over the years. The quality of these projects has gone up significantly, and the talent behind them have a clear passion for the source material in games. Because of that, fans are flocking to theaters and streaming services to watch stories that are based on or set in the worlds of their favorite gaming franchises. If this keeps up and things only get better from here, the next wave of upcoming live-action adaptations of our favorite games will become legendary.
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