Video games have evolved into an interesting storytelling medium over the past three decades. Where there used to be simple avatars comprised of a few pixels, we now have incredibly detailed and fully developed characters in beautifully rendered worlds straight out of fantasy. Still, there's something that draws people into the thought of adapting video game characters to live-action films. Cinema is a different beast. Films are made to tell stories, not satisfy the audience's need for total immersion -- the one thing video games have to do nowadays. With that in mind, it's easier to see why video game fans still talk about who would play their favorite characters and how.
Sometimes it's better to see how a character would act when completely independent from gamers. That's when you get to see the deeper layers of a character and connect with them more deeply, because you know that no part of their characterization relied on your actions. That being said, other times people just want to see their characters adapted because it's good, mindless fun. We're going to take a look back at just a few video game heroes and heroines, in no specific order, to see which would work on the big screen and which are better off in the hearts, minds and consoles of gamers.
20 TO THE BIG SCREEN: NATHAN DRAKE
The Uncharted franchise has a pretty dedicated fanbase and with good reason. Over his three games, Nathan Drake has developed into a pretty memorable character. He's charismatic, mysterious and surrounded by other interesting characters. The games do a great job in conveying all that and keeping it fun. However, there's a lot more story potential outside of video games, where there's no compulsion to present as many shootouts.
There's already a demand for a live-action adaptation and not just from your everyday enthusiastic gamer. Nathan Fillion has long expressed his desire to play series protagonist Nathan Drake. He's so enthusiastic that he recently starred in a short fan film which actually turned out pretty great. Now all they need is a big budget and a decent studio to back them.
19 STAY AWAY: AGENT 47
It's far too late for this particular video game antagonist. No one's saying that it's impossible to adapt the cold, lethal hitman, it's just incredibly difficult, especially since no one seems to understand the character. We've had two films already based on IO Interactive's successful video game series: Hitman and the reboot, Hitman: Agent 47. Both failed to impress fans and critics.
Worse still, most of them completely missed the point of the character. It's fair to say that the Hitman game series has never really focused too much on an overarching plot, but these films didn't even seem to bother with a cohesive one. As if that wasn't enough, they were far too focused on the action scenes, filled with shootouts and explosions, which just isn't how Agent 47 operates...if you play the game properly.
18 TO THE BIG SCREEN: KAIN
One of the most complex and captivating worlds you'll ever see in video games comes from the Legacy of Kain series that began in 1996 with Blood Omen. Throughout the story, Kain is made out to be both a heroic vampire saviour and a ruthless tyrant and players get to determine the truth on their own by playing as both Kain and his former lieutenant, Raziel.
This vampire epic was unfortunately cut short after five games due to a number of reasons, including the loss of one the series' prominent voice actors, Tony Jay. A film, carefully done and ideally written by or with the franchise's writer, Amy Hennig, would be the perfect way to finish the story fans have longed for for more than a decade.
17 STAY AWAY: RAYNE
Speaking of vampires, one well-remembered franchise from the early 2000s was the Bloodrayne series, centered on a dhampir (half vampire, half human), Rayne. Her story is one of vengeance against her Nazi father and his offspring. This crazy sounding story contained some very mature elements handled with the right amount of elegance, which is partly why it has endured.
The film trilogy, directed by Uwe Boll, had no such elegance and failed to impress with its visuals. You might think that all it needs is a remake with filmmakers that actually know what they're doing, but keep in mind that the concept that worked for a video game simply wouldn't work on film. Nazi vampires are almost impossible to pull off if a film is intended to be being taken seriously.
16 TO THE BIG SCREEN: CORVO ATTANO
The first-person stealth action-adventure game, Dishonored, focused on providing players with an eerie atmosphere, a chance to think strategically and the freedom to decide whether or not the lethal method is the right route to take. Built around that engaging gameplay is a world and story that seems like it would do well on the big screen, when all the assassinations are put to the side.
The story of the bored and nihilistic, seemingly all-powerful Outsider and the bearer of his mark, Corvo, seems like it would be something unique to mainstream cinema. That world and story is rife with drama, political intrigue, even romance. It's got something for everyone, which is why a film adaptation would be perfect for the character.
15 STAY AWAY: JOEL AND ELLIE
A good survival horror game is a rare thing. Anticipation was high for The Last of Us and it did not disappoint. It takes its time with the plot, allowing each moment to breathe. So when players are faced with a moment of tensity or poignancy, players can feel each emotion vividly. It's the kind of experience you might expect from a film, which is exactly why The Last of Us should not be adapted to live-action.
The action of the game never got in the way of the story which means a cinematic version of the game's events would be unable to convey the same emotions and complexity any better than the games that so many have already been able to enjoy.
14 TO THE BIG SCREEN: MORRIGAN
Throughout the Dragon Age trilogy, one mysterious sorceress has consistently managed to intrigue players with her secret scheme and mystical background. Her mystique was in large part aided by the fact that the video games didn't focus on her, instead following the adventures of the Warden, Hawke and then the Inquisitor. Her story clearly has a lot of potential that a live-action film could explore.
The chances of seeing her up there are slim. From the perspective of the average audience, the franchise isn't particularly notable, despite its success and the characters and lore may require a lot of effort to explore on the big screen. If it could be executed correctly, Morrigan would undoubtedly prove to be one of the most unique fantasy protagonists in cinema.
13 STAY AWAY: THE ASSASSINS
For years, fans had called for the development of an Assassins's Creed film. The combination of unique mythology and real-world history seemed as though it would do well in a film, especially one based on such a well-known franchise. When Assassin's Creed was finally released, it shook the faith of hardcore fans. It wasn't just the fact that mainstream audiences simply didn't understand some of the essential concepts like the Animus, it was the fact that the film itself was poorly made and confused.
The saddest part of it was that Ubisoft demanded and gained creative control over the film. There was no reason why the film should have been that thinly written. It seemed to focus more on stuntwork and references as opposed to plot or character development. It's clear the concept is too complex for film and should remain in the exciting world of video games.
12 TO THE BIG SCREEN: LARA CROFT
Before you say anything, yes, we know fans just got a poorly made adaptation in 2017. Tomb Raider wasn't good, but then it wasn't really based on the Lara Croft many fans had grown to know and love. The Lara Croft we want adapted is the bold, knowledgeable -- if not a bit reckless -- archaeologist from the '90s and 2000s. The one that almost leaped into peril with her dual pistols drawn and not a hint of worry.
There were two films that attempted to adapt that Lara Croft. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and its sequel, Cradle of Life, were interesting takes on the character. It didn't impress many people but it was definitely a step in the right direction. The famed video game heroine deserves another shot at the big screen, this time with creative minds that understand the qualities that people adored.
11 STAY AWAY: JOHN MARSTON
The recently released Red Dead Redemption 2 may have opened up old wounds for longtime fans of the series which is partly why we're going to talk about John Marston here. Players enjoyed not one, but two long adventures with the outlaw, traveling across lonesome deserts and through dense forests while avoiding bodies of water.
The emotion that came with getting to know Marston and his family is not something that can be replicated in a live-action film. Likely not even in a television series. Rockstar Games managed to create a fully developed protagonist in a world that felt organic and real. Any attempt to condense it all for a two-hour film would end up inferior, especially to longtime fans of the franchise who know how deep and complex the story really is.
10 TO THE BIG SCREEN: CATE ARCHER
One of the old ones that not a lot of people may have heard about is The Operative: No One Lives Forever, a first-person shooter that offered a unique take on the spy genre. The story revolved around Cate Archer, an operative in UNITY as she travelled the globe trying to put an end to H.A.R.M and its dastardly scheme.
Recently audiences all over have been discussing classic spy films like James Bond and how Hollywood can change it and offer something new. There's been talk about switching ethnicity or gender and audiences can't seem to agree on any of it. Perhaps the answer is adapting someone like Cate Archer, who is wholly her own character and offers a different perspective in a world that's both thought-provoking and entertaining and captures the spirit of the '60s spy thrillers that audiences came to love.
9 STAY AWAY: DRAGONBORN
The Elder Scrolls series has garnered well-deserved acclaim. Its most recent instalment, Skyrim (which seems to be re-released every other year), still has a passionate and active fanbase and modding community. It's a great RPG but it's one best suited for complete and total immersion. Both of its main storylines are interesting enough but not so much so that it would make for a great film.
As far as fantasy storylines go, there are far better epics available in the realm of cinema and television. Each one arguably more well-made than the world of Skyrim, which is beautiful and incredibly enjoyable but partly because of the many glitches and goofs that litter its landscape. Graphical and technical issues don't generally go over well with film audiences.
8 TO THE BIG SCREEN: SOAP MACTAVISH
Back when the Call of Duty franchise was actually good, we were presented with characters like Captain Price and the initially silent protagonist, John "Soap" MacTavish in the Modern Warfare series. Their story, was wrought with intense action sequences and unpredictable twists (we will never forget you, Ghost) of near cinematic quality, limited only by the visual capabilities of third-generation consoles.
A live-action film could take this fictitious conflict and turn it into something as epic and stunning as it was meant to be. Of course, the plot may need a little tweaking here and there with the current political climate but overall, adapting the events of the Modern Warfare trilogy would make for a decent war film.
7 STAY AWAY: STARKILLER
Before Disney rewrote the Star Wars universe, Lucasfilm had introduced Galen Marek through two video games, The Force Unleashed and its sequel. He was Darth Vader's apprentice and, depending on the player's actions, turned against his master after Marek fell and returned as a clone. Even though Starkiller was a fun character, his storyline introduced a lot issues to Star Wars canon.
Now that the franchise has moved away from Darth Vader and Darth Sidious, there's no real reason to reintroduce Marek to the story, at least, not without drastically changing his background and involvement in which case, Disney is better off creating an all-new character. Starkiller is one Sith apprentice better left in Star Wars Legends.
6 TO THE BIG SCREEN: THE WARDEN
We've talked a bit about Dragon Age and the potential in some of its characters. Even though the character and personality of the Warden from Dragon Age: Origin is highly dependent on how players decided to play it, any Grey Warden at all would be a great introduction for audiences to the world of Thedas and the monumental events that shape it, like the Blight.
Adapting the heroic Grey Wardens to a live-action film would undoubtedly provide an epic new story for fantasy lovers to enjoy, one that doesn't require as much reading or prior knowledge to fully grasp. The world of Dragon Age has a lot to offer and film is arguably the best way to do it.
5 STAY AWAY: KRATOS
The God of War series has developed Kratos quite a lot since that story of vengeance back in 2005. Kratos recently became something of a fatherly figure, learning to become less arrogant and reckless than he was in his younger years, all for the sake of his new family. All that works in the video games but it's unlikely to work on film.
There has actually been a God of War film stuck in development hell and while a little progress has been made in the past decade, we're hoping that the film stays right where it is. It isn't because we don't believe Kratos' story is one worth telling, it's because cinema is unlikely to tell it right. We've seen how Hollywood adapts mythology films and how wrong they get it. We saw it with Gods of Egypt and Clash of the Titans. To do the same to God of War would be only irritate fans of the franchise. It's best to leave it alone.
4 TO THE BIG SCREEN: BASTILA SHAN
One of the best Star Wars video games focused on a completely different era in that galaxy far, far away. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and its sequel took place some 4000 years prior to the events of A New Hope and it introduced some of the most intriguing characters to the franchise. Darth Revan was one of them, but we're more interested in Bastila Shan, his former companion and -- according to the former canon -- lover.
The perspective of this particular Jedi knight is one that would translate well if adapted to film. Focusing on Bastila would not only provide a great entryway into that unique time in the Star Wars universe and the history of the Jedi Order, it would also maintain one of the best parts of Revan: his mystique.
3 STAY AWAY: EMILY KALDWIN
The world of Dishonored and its sequel are filled with interesting concepts and perfectly mysterious people and beings. Emily Kaldwin, despite being a prominent figure in Dunwall, is just as mysterious as Corvo. In the sequel, Dishonored 2, she even becomes equally powerful, with a different set of abilities gifted to her by The Outsider. However, that doesn't mean she'd be as interesting on her own as Corvo, partly because he plays such a large part in her backstory.
We're not saying that Emily Kaldwin would be completely unfit for film. But a Dishonored adaptation would have to do really well in order to get to the stage where Emily Kaldwin would make for a decently developed and compelling protagonist.
2 TO THE BIG SCREEN: THE PRINCE
The Prince of Persia trilogy deserves to be adapted to live-action. Not only did it capture the wonder and magic of the Arabic literature that clearly inspired it, it managed to implement different concepts and balance its tone with just the right modern touches. The characters were each charismatic and charming in their own way. Of course, we're mostly referring to Sands of Time and the third instalment in that trilogy, The Two Thrones.
Forget the Prince of Persia: Sands of Time film of 2010 that butchered the characters and world gamers were eager to see. There needs to be another attempt, one that respects the source material and the spirit of the games. If Hollywood can do that, they would have something special, other than a shiny new franchise to build on.
1 STAY AWAY: COMMANDER SHEPARD
It's generally not a good idea to adapt video games that have put effort into drawing players in emotionally. Interaction is not something films are able to employ which would make Mass Effect an incredibly difficult story to adapt, simply because many fans enjoyed it because of the level of control they had over the events that occurred. They created everything about Commander Shepard and helped to shape his relationships with his crew.
There is no doubt that Mass Effect, with its Lovecraft-inspired threats and unique alien worlds, would prove to be engaging to cinemagoers. The problem is that those events and the characters are so closely entwined that changing any bit of it would render the story inferior to the source material. Mass Effect is better off untouched by Hollywood.