In what's fast proving to be an unpredictable year for cinema, the MCU's first major 2023 release underperformed at the box office, while TheSuper Mario Bros. movie has comfortably cruised past the eyebrow-raising billion dollar mark.
The immense success of Super Mario Bros., coupled with the popularity of HBO's The Last of Us adaptation, has left many wondering if cinema and TV are entering the age of the blockbuster video game adaptation. For years, the video game adaptation of the upcoming movie was a far more common occurrence. While gaming tie-ins have often received flak for seemingly being rushed and lazy, others, such as Spider-Man 2, have proven to be seminal classics. This year is spoilt for choice when it comes to films that could make for exciting video games.
6 Saw X Could Have The Makings Of A Sadistic Horror Gaming Classic
It's been 14 years since the bloodthirsty Saw series first stepped into the gaming world. Saw: The Video Game was met with a mixed response, with many finding disappointments in the game's approach to Jigsaw's typically horrifying puzzles and general combat.
Where it excelled, however, was in its immersive story-telling and world-building. After a polarizing rejig attempt with 2021's Spiral, this year will see the franchise return to a more traditional format with Saw X. With almost 20 years of grim material to draw from, a new game focusing primarily on the upcoming film could be effective both as a marketing tool and as a gift to longtime fans of the sadistic series. Updated mechanics for the atmospheric, almost literary approach to the original game's style could lead to a modern horror gaming classic. Interestingly, a new Saw game almost came to fruition back in 2019.
5 Spider-Man: Across The Spiderverse Could Continue The Long History Of Successful Spider-Man Movie Game Adaptations
Given Insomniac's focus on original Spider-Man games at the moment, this one might seem like a stretch. However, a precedent for multiple Spider-Man games across different character iterations was already set back in the mid-noughties, when games of both Sam Raimi's films and the Ultimate Spider-Man comic book series were in production.
The sequel to the much-loved Academy Award-winning Into the Spiderverse looks set to be one of this year's biggest animated releases. The motion-smearing aesthetic of the films could be visually compelling in video game form. For big-time Spidey fans, the near-endless number of alternate universe renditions of Marvel's most beloved hero to play would make this game adaptation a must-buy. Overall, this is among the most obvious and easy-to-sell film-to-game conversions out there for 2023.
4 Insidious: The Red Door Could Take Players On A Jumpy, Fantasy/Horror Thrill-Ride
For fans of the jump scare-laden series, the upcoming installment is expected to get the franchise back on track. With the original cast returning and the promise of some pay-off regarding the Red-Faced Demon finally arriving after 13 years of questions, Insidious is the most hyped it's been since the end credits first rolled on that infamous first-film ending.
When it comes to gaming, The Further could make for a genuinely terrifying experience. Lost in a haunted, open-world environment, players would no doubt be on edge at every turn, with the tension only made worse by the eerie fog that permeates the region. Considering the psychic connection between Josh and Dalton Lambert, there'd also be room for some suspenseful two-player formatting. Overall, Insidious could make for an unconventional, but effectively terrifying, console experience.
3 Based On The Trailers, Fast X Already Looks Like An Action Game In Film Form
Considering the physics-defying insanity of the franchise's later films, it's almost mind-boggling to think there hasn't been a major game adaptation of the Fast and Furious series for the eighth or ninth generations yet. With the upcoming Fast X expected to serve as the penultimate outing for Dom Torreto and co, now could be the perfect opportunity to change that.
Based on the trailers, viewers will no doubt feel comfortable checking their brains at the door and enjoying the explosive spectacle on display. Beloved action franchises such as Just Cause have proven this to be a popular approach to gaming entertainment over the years as well. Essentially functioning as a high-octane blend of Just Cause and the Need for Speed series, a Fast X game could well be the next step in this long-running franchise's lengthy evolution.
2 Dune: Part Two Could Lead To Gamers Experiencing The Thrills And Spills Of Arrakis
The perilous, sandworm-laden world of Arrakis is ripe for grand-scale, open-world gaming. Denis Villeneuve's 2021 Dune effort proved that Frank Herbert's iconic sci-fi epic was far from impossible to adapt, a notion that David Lynch's 1984 cult classic adaptation and the miniseries had left many believing. A promising precedent for a game has already been set with last year's Dune: Spice Wars.
With Dune: Part Two already raising eyebrows with its epic trailer, it's looking likely that this sophomore effort will make a killing at the box office this Fall. Having finally conquered the world of film, it's time for Dune to take the next step in its gaming franchising potential and give gamers the extravagant, gritty adventure this series can offer. With Part Two closing out the remainder of the first novel, a blockbuster game could potentially chart both films, providing players plenty of bang for their buck.
1 Transformers: Rise of the Beasts Could Give Gamers Unicron's First Console Appearance In Almost 20 Years
It's been over 23 years since the Transformers franchise saw a video game adaptation of their much-loved Beast Wars series. Given the poor reception Beast Wars Transmetals received, it may finally be time for some redemption with the upcoming release of Rise of the Beasts.
As fans have long come to expect from the polarizing franchise, the upcoming film appears to be an all-action and spectacle affair. The story primarily focuses on the Autobots and a tense situation involving everyone from the Maximals to the planet-sized Unicron, who hasn't appeared in a game since 2004's Armada adaptation. The Michael Bay films frequently employed video-game tie-ins as a successful portion of their marketing campaigns.
Rise of the Beasts could benefit greatly from this and offer a new generation of players the chance to play as their favorite Transformers on the ninth generation of consoles. It could also provide players with a more conventional gaming experience than last year's Beyond Reality.