Video game adaptations making their way to the big and small screens

Tomb Raider, Arcane, Sonic, Minecraft and more

The second season game-turned-series The Last of Us is expected to arrive next year. Photo: HBO

Screen adaptations of video games have come a long way. More than three decades ago, when Super Mario Bros hit cinemas in 1993, it was met with widespread contempt – even from some of the people behind it. Actor Bob Hoskins famously said it was the worst project he had ever worked on.

Today, successful projects like The Last of Us, Fallout and Sonic the Hedgehog, all released over the past four years, have changed the game, increasing the likelihood that video game adaptations of the future will be well-received by both fans and critics.

They can’t all hit the mark, as shown by this year’s Borderlands film. The adaptation has a 10 per cent score on Rotten Tomatoes, and took in little more than $32 million at the box office, despite its $115 million budget.

But as a genre, the tide has turned, with more and more projects being given the green light. As all-things-superhero show signs of slowdown, it’s likely that video game adaptations will continue to be television and box office big hitters.

Looking forward, here are some of the biggest films and TV shows, adapted from video games, to come over the next two years.

Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft (October 10)

Lara Croft returns after three big-screen adaptations, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider in 2001, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life in 2003 and Tomb Raider in 2018. In the films, Croft was portrayed by Angelina Jolie for the first two and then Alicia Vikander for the third. This time, the Tomb Raider returns in an exciting cartoon project from Netflix, which has had success with previous anime-style cartoon video game adaptations Arcane and Cyberpunk 2077.

Hayley Atwell voices the daring Croft in the series, with Richard Armitage also lending his voice to the show.

Like a Dragon: Yakuza (October 25, November 1)

The Yakuza series from Sega, which started in 2005, contains many mainline games and spin-offs, offering a near-endless gaming experience exploring the world of Japanese organised crime. There have been previous adaptations of the games for television, but they were mostly made for Japanese television.

Produced by Amazon, the new show promises to be the most faithful adaptation of the Yakuza story yet. The show stars Ryoma Takeuchi as the game’s protagonist Kazuma Kiryu. The first three episodes will be released on Amazon Video on October 25 with the second three episodes arriving on November 1.

Arcane: Season 2 (November)

The second season of the popular show based on the League of Legends games is arriving in November. The first season was a smash hit when it was released on Netflix in 2021. Arcane also became a critical hit, winning four Primetime Emmys.

Lending their voices to the animated series are Hailee Steinfeld, Kevin Alejandro, Jason Spisak and Terri Douglas. The show follows the origins of two iconic League of Legends champions and the power that tears them apart.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (December 20)

The beloved blue hedgehog, part of gaming culture since 1991, returns for a third film in the franchise that started in 2020 and spawned a sequel in 2022. Sonic, voiced by Ben Schwartz, reunites with Tails (Colleen O'Shaughnessey) and Knuckles (Idris Elba) to take on Shadow, who Keanu Reeves will voice.

Jim Carrey also returns to play Dr Robotnik, who looks like he is finally evolving into the appearance he is known for in the video games, sporting a ridiculously exaggerated moustache as well as large comical spectacles. The film arrives in cinemas on December 20.

A Minecraft Movie (April 4, 2025)

The first trailer for the upcoming Minecraft film has drawn different reactions. Many commented on the appearance of the game characters, saying they don’t look quite right, while others seem confused by Jack Black’s portrayal of the game’s main character, Steve.

Nevertheless, a film is coming next year, and it is sure to grab the attention of the legions of fans who love the game. Alongside Black, the film also stars Jason Momoa, Jennifer Coolidge, Jemaine Clement, Kate McKinnon and Danielle Brooks.

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 (December 5, 2025)

The Five Nights at Freddy’s games began life as a simple computer game that delivered a reliable scary gaming experience. The game's popularity grew exponentially as streamers and YouTubers played them and shared their over-the-top reactions to the scares.

After multiple games, a film adaptation was given the green light and arrived in cinemas last year. It made more than $290 million against its humble $20 million budget, becoming one of the most profitable films of the year and kicking off a new horror franchise.

The sequel is set to arrive in December of next year, but excitement is already building for a franchise that has the potential to follow in the footsteps of successful long-running horror series such as Saw and Scream.

The Last of Us: Season 2 (2025)

The second season of the award-winning show Last of Us is set to arrive next year. The first season was a global sensation that brought a lot of attention to the games. It tells the story of zombie apocalypse survivor Joel and his quest to protect Ellie, who could possess the cure for the zombie outbreak in her. Created by Craig Mazin who previously made the chilling Chernobyl show, Last of Us has won eight Primetime Emmys.

The story in the debut season closely mirrors the events of the first game, with the new season picking up the story from the second game. The show stars Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Gabriel Luna and Kaitlyn Dever. There’s no set date for when it will air, but it is expected to be in the first half of 2025.