5 video games given the Hollywood treatment to be made into shows and films for 2023
Gamers rejoice! 2023 is definitely your year, especially when it comes to the television and film landscape, because Hollywood has made the switch to video game-inspired film and television series that will have you consoling yourself. Furthermore, these projects are not set to fly under the radar, with The Last of Us already breaking viewing records worldwide, becoming a trending topic weekly and a sure-fire entry into the upcoming Emmys 2023 nominations list.
Say “I do” to these flicks…
Meanwhile, other gaming-inspired films out this year are guaranteed to be heavy hitters upon release, with storylines based on the most iconic video games ever featuring A-list casts, from Anya Taylor-Joy and Michelle Rodriguez to Taron Egerton and David Harbour.
From films based on the ever-so-iconic Nintendo game Mario to the hugely addictive Tetric, every basis is covered, Seriously exciting stuff! So without further do, keep an eye out for these exciting new gaming-inspired television series and films.
Sony PicturesGran Turismo
Cast: David Harbour, Orlando Bloom, Archie Madekwe, Darren Barnet, Djimon Hounsou
Plot: Based on a true story, this upcoming film follows the journey of a teenage Gran Turismo player whose gaming skills won multiple Nissan competitions and allowed him to become a professional race car driver.
Video game: This Sony and PlayStation Studio project blend make-believe with real-life events. Instead of the movie's sole focus being the racing simulation video game, it follows the true story of British professional racing driver Jann Mardenborough.
Release date: 11 August in cinemas.
ParamountDungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Cast: Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Sophia Lillis, Regé-Jean Page
Plot: A charismatic thief joins forces with a group of unlikely adventures to embark on an epic quest to retrieve a long-lost relic. But their plans take a turn for the worse when they cross paths with the wrong people.
Video game: In the tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, characters form a party and interact with the setting's inhabitants and each other while trying to solve dilemmas and gather treasure and knowledge.
Release date: 31 March in cinemas.
Tetris
Cast: Taron Egerton
Plot: This upcoming biographical film explores the Dutch video game designer Henk Rogers who discovered the popular game Tetris in 1988, risking everything to travel to the Soviet Union to join forces with its inventor Alexey Pajitnov to bring the game to the masses, eventually turning it into the worldwide phenomenon that it is today.
Video game: Tetris is a puzzle game created by Soviet software engineer Alexey Pajitnov in 1984. This highly addictive game sees players complete games by moving different shaped pieces into empty spaces to form complete rows at the bottom of the game board.
Release date: Tetris, set to hit Apple TV+, is scheduled to be released on March 31.
HBO/Warner MediaThe Last Of Us
Cast: Bella Ramsey, Pedro Pascal, Nico Parker, Storm Reid, Murray Bartlett, Melanie Lynskey
Plot: Taking place twenty years after most of humanity is destroyed by cordyceps fungus, this hugely popular HBO/Sky show, which has been written and produced by Chernobyl's Craig Mazin, centres on the journey of Joel, who helps escort a teenage girl, Ellie, across the post-apocalyptic United States, which soon becomes, as the show's official synopsis puts it, "a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse across the US and depend on each other for survival."
Video game: The show is based on the 2013 video game of the same name, which was developed by Naughty Dog, and is played from a third-person perspective, with characters Joel and Ellie using improvised weapons to defend themselves from hostile living conditions and cannibalistic threats.
Release date: The Last of Us premiered January 15, 2023, with episodes being released weekly. A second season has also been announced.
Nintendo,Illumination Entertainment & Universal PicturesThe Super Mario Bros. Movie
Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key
Plot: Maybe one of the most highly-anticipated films this year, The Super Mario Bros. Movie will centre on the beloved Nintendo video game character Mario, who, with the help of Princess Peach, gets ready to square off against villainous Bowser to stop his plans from conquering the world.
Video game: Shigeru Miyamoto and Gunpei Yokoi, from the Japanese video game company Nintendo, developed the world of Super Mario Bros in 1983, and it has since gone on to become one of the most iconic video games of all time with loveable characters such as the brothers Mario and Luigi.
Release date: The movie will hit UK cinemas on 5 April.
