Video game-based movies have existed for as long as there have been video games that film studios could milk money out of. However, the 2020’s have proven to be the proverbial Golden Age for the once-dead film genre, and it seems that 2025 might give all the other years a run for their money.
From an in-depth behind-the-scenes documentary on an axed video game flick, to two game-based movies currently being produced by Sony Pictures – here’s the tea on the latest and upcoming game-based films.
Documentary On Unmade Film Now Streaming
Resident Evil is, without a doubt, the most successful zombie video game franchise to have ever graced the big screen, and perhaps even traumatised the minds of 90s kids. It is a series so popular that it spans multiple games, movies, and even streaming series. Though the streaming series was a cinematic stillbirth, the movies were extremely successful despite receiving overall negative reviews.
For all intents and purposes, it was an interesting but forgettable franchise. With the guiding hand of a legendary director, this might have transformed into an absolute classic, and we almost did receive that. The legendary director we are referring to is none other than George A. Romero, creator of the beloved 1968 “Night of the Living Dead” and the progenitor of the modern zombie we know today.
Yes, believe it or not, Romero was set to adapt the most popular zombie franchise into an unforgettable film, but was cut short, forcing fans to have to imagine what could have been. Well, imagine no more as the documentary on the pulled project is now available to be streamed today!
In this extensive documentary, we get to see how the film was taking shape, how close it came to completion, and how it was ultimately shut down. It goes without saying that Resident Evil was heavily inspired by “Night of the Living Dead” and its subsequent installments; this would-be film could have easily become the spiritual successor to that of some kind. In the trailer, we see shots of the classic PS1 game, as well as its live-action counterpart that Romero was creating. If you’d like to watch a story about a movie that never came to be, you can do so now on Amazon and Apple TV.
Sony Making Live-action “Horizon” & “Helldivers”
From “Madam Web” to “Kraven,” Sony’s film department is looking a little worse for wear when it comes to its recent releases. And rather than taking a step back, it seems that the studio is about to double down on its endeavours. Thankfully, the Japanese conglomerate isn’t after any Marvel IP this time around; instead, it is determined to transform games in its library into a movie or TV show.
During Sony’s press conference at CES in Las Vegas, PlayStation Productions head Asad Qizilbash shared that “Horizon: Zero Dawn” and “Helldivers 2” are already in early development stages. Columbia Pictures, a subsidiary of Sony, will be working alongside PlayStation Productions to bring the stories to life, though they did not announce any talents attached to the project just yet. But they did let slip a little idea on the premise behind these two films.
At the brand’s presentation, Qizilbash explained that “Horizon: Zero Dawn” will discuss the origin story of the main protagonist, Aloy, and how she became the badass robot monster hunter that we know today. How this is different from the game is beyond us. Since the film will take us to the protagonist’s past, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that there is a possibility that we might see the original game story adapted to the big screen, with a few key tweaks to make it suitable for the medium and not much else.
On the other side of this coin is “Helldivers 2.” For those who are unfamiliar with the title, it is an online co-op shooter game where players assume the role of armoured space commandos fighting against hordes of alien bugs and robots. It was the smash surprise hit of 2024 that, unfortunately, fell off the radar due to some bad management decisions. Unfortunately, we know a lot less about this adaptation, as the game didn’t have an obvious plot besides shooting the bad guys. Though it has a gritty and dark atmosphere, it has some comedic cues, which we can see in the game trailers. As a result, we can assume that it might follow in Paul Verhoeven’s satirical action masterpiece “Starship Troopers” from 1997. Whether the brand would risk being labelled a clone-maker or will take a step in a different direction remains to be seen.
Source: The Verge, Bleeding Cool News, Polygon
