Are video game movie franchises replacing the Marvel and DC superhero universes? The massive $$$ opening 5-day box office for THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE is only the latest example of a movie based on a video game that produced the magnitude of ticket sales that used to be reserved for the Marvel Cinematic Universe or DC Extended Universe.
As these comic book franchises struggle with diminishing returns, successful new titles such as A MINECRAFT MOVIE, THE SUPER MARIO MOVIE, and SONIC THE HEDGEHOG could represent Hollywood’s answer to the “superhero fatigue” that has taken hold with moviegoers.
While the success of these video game-derived movies is good news all around, some within the industry are worried that Hollywood will lean too far into the trend and oversaturate the market with these films. For every success, such as MINECRAFT, there have been bombs, such as BORDERLANDS and SILENT HILL, panned by critics and fans alike and with dismal box-office results.
For these movies to resonate with audiences, they must provide an authentic connection to the spirit of the video games. One example of a studio taking steps to produce a movie that gives video game fans what they want is Paramount’s redesign of Sonic’s CGI after early test audiences criticized the character design in the movie’s first trailer.
Despite this risk, Hollywood seems committed to playing out the video game opportunity. The gaming industry is valued at $184B annually, compared to the theatrical exhibition of movies, which earns $34 billion globally. The success of UNCHARTED, FIVE NIGHTS AT FREDDY’S, and now SUPER MARIO GALAXY guarantees that there are more video game adaptations on the way. Franchises including THE LEGEND OF ZELDA, CALL OF DUTY, and RESIDENT EVIL are lined up for their own movie adaptations.
