Summary
Video game movies have become huge in recent years, amassing large audiences of veteran players and new fans alike. The most recent video game adaptions have attempted to use the fame of the game to bring in box office acclaim, but to do that, a rather large budget might be needed to create the expansive and creative content seen in some favorite games.
Whether successful or otherwise, there have been plenty of video game movie adaptions that have featured inflated budgets. Some have had great box office returns, whereas others have been less than so, providing a lens into the risks of making expensive movies based on iconic video game properties.
5Pokemon: Detective Pikachu (2018)
Budget: $150 Million
A 2018 movie with a budget of $150,000,000,Pokemon: Detective Pikachuwould bring thePokemonfranchise to the big screen for the first time in live-action, filled with creatively respectable depictions ofsome truly iconic Pokemonlike Charizard, Mewtwo, and of course, Pikachu. The use of budget is pretty obvious, as the detail in these live-action CGI Pokemon is clear, especially when the emotive Detective Pikachu is played by Ryan Reynolds of all people.
Detective Pikachusees Tim Goodman team with a rare talking Pikachu in an attempt to solve the last case of his recently deceased father. With Ryme City and beyond filled with all sorts of memorable Pokemon, it’s no shock that a high budget is needed to bring these characters to live for one of Nintendo’s ultimate franchises.
4Warcraft (2016)
Budget: $160 Million
Warcraftwas perhaps the most ambitious video game movie ever made, as it attempted tobring forth the expansiveWorld of Warcraftto the big screen. The creativity and love for the franchise are clear, and its attempt to bring forth anotherAvatarcan definitely be seen in its huge $160,000,000 budget for a 2016 movie. Sadly, this gamble did not pay off, even if international markets seemed to enjoy it.
The film itself isn’t the most welcoming or interesting to newcomers, and the story of human survivors teaming with mutually aligning orcs to stop a dreaded orc horde from invading their world simply failed to provide interest. The use of budget is clear with its giant CGI creatures, costumes and visuals, but the film itself wasn’t as beloved as one might hope for the famed series.
3Assassin’s Creed (2016)
Budget: $125 Million
One of the most famous video game franchises of all time, it’s no surprise thatUbisoft’sAssassin’s Creedwould come to the silver screen. Yet, what fans didn’t expect was a star-studded cast with the likes of Michael Fassbender, Brendan Gleeson, and Jeremy Irons to eat at the budget for a whopping total of $125,000,000. Whilst many of the sets were impressive, the scripts were less than so, providing a lacking entry into the acclaimed series with a critically received low.
Assassin’s Creeddidn’t build on the story of Ezio or other famous Assassins, and instead provided a new lens for audiences unfamiliar, explaining the technology and sinister nature of Abstergo, all whilst a modern man discovers his ancestry through the hood of a skillful Assassin.
2Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)
Budget: $185 Million
Jake Gyllenhall is Dastan inPrince of Persia: The Sands of Time, a film that attempts to replicate thesuccess ofPirates of the Carribean, but to not much success. The confidence in the movie is clear thanks to its whopping $185,000,000 budget, which for 2010, was extremely inflated and bloated, marking one of the most expensive movie risks of all time which certainly wasn’t able to pay off in the end.
Low satisfaction from critics and fans,Prince of Persia: The Sands of Timemay show a young prince attempting to stop a generic evil scheme with an interesting magical dagger capable of reversing time, but there’s just not enough in the story to warrant such a high budget or a continuation of the story.
1The Super Mario Bros. Movie
Budget: $100 Million
It took decades for Nintendo to let their iconic characters return to the big screen. Decades afterSuper Mario Bros.failed to impress audiences, Nintendo teamed with Illumination, the creators of Despicable Me for their most expensive movie to date. It was no easy challenge in bringing the iconic cast of characters from the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond to a beautifully CGI rendered world, but it was achieved for a high price.
The Super Mario Bros. Moviefeatures as an origin point for Mario and Luigi, who stumble into a magical new world. Separated and desperate to save his brother, Mario must team with the Mushroom Kingdom tofind Luigiand become the hero that Princess Peach needs against the dreaded forces of Bowser and his conquest for the star of power.
