Why do movies based on video games seem to never do to well?

[smahala1991]

The movie based on the Borderlands video game series came out this weekend, and critics and audiences are crapping all over it, It always seems like movies based on video games except for Super Mario Brothers (the animated one) and Tomb Raider just don't do too hot.

Updates

1 y

I'll add another to the exception list, The Sonic movies

[MrOracle]

1. Some video games simply don't have a story that is complex enough to make a good movie. The needs of a game are very different from the needs of a movie.

2. The writers and directors of these movies rarely know much about the video games and their existing lore, and often don't care to learn and have little interest in remaining faithful to it. Even more recently, we've had woke activists whose only interest in any existing property is to subvert it by inserting themselves and their agenda into the movie - which is exactly what happened to Borderlands.

3. Directors often think they can make up for bad writing with lots of implausible action scenes, which is almost never true.

4. These projects are often given to inexperienced directors who have $300M visions but only an $80M budget, and they have no idea of how to scale back their ambitions to match their budget.

[NamerOfStars]

The Chicago Cubs. The longest championship drought in not just the history of baseball, but of American professional sports, and yet every game STILL sold out. So what incentive did they have to improve? Similarly, if video game movies are awful, but still make money, where's the push to change anything?

[IslaTheWitch]

because the wrong people write screenplays and do those movies...

Warcraft books are quite good... but what they did out of them... with good cast it could be a very good movie... but wasn't... because not enough game was left in it... too many shortcuts, too explicit visuals... no mystery... Medivh was the closest to his books original character... but still too far away... he was special... and nothing of his uniqueness was shown... the characters in the movie were too shallow...

I stopped to hope they will do something good out of games... I simply enjoy playing :D

[jennifer_bloom]

A book was written called noise, where context and condition and randomization can impact outcomes just as much as likelihood and streamlined predictable factors. When you take a vision template designed for a manual and practical impetus and remove that original drive and context, without compensating with visionary change to accommodate that removed impetus, you get a systematically mismatched style and storyline contour that is diminished in aesthetic and plot quality.

[AI Opinion]

It's funny how movies based on video games often struggle to capture the magic of the original game. It's like trying to fit an epic RPG quest into a two-hour film—it just doesn't always hit the right notes. One big reason is that video games are immersive experiences where players interact and make choices, creating an emotional bond that movies can't easily replicate. 🤔

Also, game storylines can be either too complex or too simple for a movie format. Adapting a rich, layered narrative like Borderlands into a concise, engaging script is a tough task. If the filmmakers don't balance the gameplay elements and story well, fans might end up disappointed. 🎮

And let's not forget the fan expectations! Gamers have strong attachments to characters and plots. If the adaptation deviates too much, it can feel like a betrayal. On the flip side, sticking too closely to the game can make the film inaccessible to non-gamers. It's a delicate balance! 🎬

Super Mario Brothers (the animated one) and the Tomb Raider franchise got it right by focusing on core elements that both fans and newcomers could enjoy. So, it’s not an impossible feat, but it certainly requires a precise blend of respect for the source material and an understanding of cinematic storytelling. 🍿

[CrimsonAngel09]

They simply don't care to learn about the source material or characters.

[TheSpaceGnome]

Because the better the story, the worse the game.

Games are meant to be open ended, have replay value, and rely on player input and skill.

A story is meant to be written and executed well, to have satisfactory outcomes, make sense for its context, have strict continuity, and have good pacing.

You can put a story in a game, but what makes a great story will make your gameplay boring, so the stories in games are generally not great most of the time for movie making.

Inversely, when making a game from an existing movie, that only works when the game doesn't follow the movie plot and rules, or expands on it drastically. Otherwise you already know whats going to happen.

[BetaBucks]

The movies are hit or miss. Some are great, like the sonic movie, and the old school Doom movie. Some are trash, like the borderlands movie is going to be, because they cast Kevin fucking Hart as Roland. Absolute insult to the entire series. And I'm glad my wife talked me out of naming our son after Roland now.

P. s. I like Kevin Hart. But he's the polar fucking opposite of Roland. They might as well have cast Jenna Ortega.

[RavVid]

I have watched Lara Croft and enjoyed her body shape.

I guess studios are in search of a franchise but have forgotten how to make movies people will enjoy. Not Made For Anyone - I'm looking at you Disney.

Mostly it seems to be about destroying franchises now.

[MysticDevice]

Because the showrunners never understand the source material.

They always buy the rights to a popular IP to garuntee an audience but then twist the IP to their own personal views with no regards to the art or the artists original intentions.

Then the fans of said IP see this and promptly head to the nearest exit.

[MisterWack]

Super Mario Bros. Movie (2nd one) did well, the Sonic movies did well, Tomb Raider, Tetris Movie on Apple TV, Wreck It Ralph, Free Guy, and Five Nights At Freddies, Pixels, and more.

[smahala1991]

Both Wreck it Ralph’s were good I’ll admit

[NathanDavis]

basically... because the copyrights are bought by people who had nothing to do with the original projects... and they're also not caring at all about it either

[msc545]

Video games giv you something to see and something to do - films just give you something to see. It does not translate well.

[Rimaisme]

Mainly because they know people (video gamer) will watch the movie even if the movie is not great

[OfMiceandMen]

Because the game is already a movie that you interact with so the actual movie that you don't interact with is quite boring.

[Twalli]

Video games usually have something called grinding or people taking side quests for expierence and rewards. In real life you wouldn't do this, because you could die. So the movie has to rationalize things that only really make sense in a game.

[buzzword]

The resident evil movies did pretty good. They did well enough to make 6 off them.

[Simslover92]

I thought Silent Hill was a great film but I don't know how it did with the critics.

[handsomebradybreaker]

Because they likely don't do the video game justice.

[KostasKouvalis]

Prince of Persia and Tomb Raider did pretty well, but generally speaking, you can put a lot more into a video game then you can into a movie

[jahaims]

They are money grabs usually, not something made for the love of the fans. Fallout the series did a good job.

[Anonymous]

I liked Tomb Raider, Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter.

[Anonymous]

Because woke douchebags insist on making them unwatchable.

[exitseven]

The game is built in advertising

[Anonymous]

Because video games sucks

[DaBiggestBird]

Don’t forget Sonic