‘Fallout’ & 7 Video Game Adaptations In The Last 10 Years That Broke The Genre Curse
For decades, rumors spread around Hollywood about the “video game curse,” and it was believed that adapting video games into movies and TV shows was a death sentence. There was good reason to believe so, too. Films like Super Mario Bros. (1993), Street Fighter (1994), and Wing Commander (1999) all failed at the box office and left behind tarnished legacies.
The 2000s brought a mixed bag of results. Some films, like Tomb Raider (2001), became a success, while others, like Doom (2005), continued to show how risky video game adaptations could be. But within the last decade, the tides have finally started to turn. Yes, we still get a few stinkers like Monster Hunter (2020), but we’re also getting huge, successful movie and TV adaptations. But what are some of the best adaptations that seem to be breaking the dreaded video game curse? Read on to find out where you can watch them on Prime Video, HBO Max, and more.
Based on the Bethesda game series, Fallout sees a retro-future world after a series of nuclear blasts rattled the surface, bringing widespread destruction and radiation. But some groups of people survived the fallout in underground bunkers called vaults. The Fallout series picks up as one of the vault dwellers (Ella Purnell) ventures to the surface for the first time to find her missing father.
Fallout received rave reviews and even Emmy nominations thanks to its fantastic blend of humor and action. The Wastelands (the surface world) provide so much great material to work with, blending a post-apocalyptic dystopia with wild west and mid-century vibes. But all of it is done with a good dose of humor and wit. Think of Fallout as a weird mix of Westworld (2016-2022) and Zombieland (2009).
Whereas Fallout is a humorous look at a dystopian future, The Last of Us takes a much more serious tone. Inspired by the zombie apocalypse subgenre, The Last of Us offers a similar story, but this time focusing on a parasitic fungus that causes the annihilation of mankind. The fractions of society that remain are lost in grief and grapple with trauma.
The Last of Us does a great job at showing the emotional toll the survivors suffer through and reveals how easily we can lose our humanity when pushed to the brink. If you love The Walking Dead (2010-2022), this is an absolute must-watch. It also has some similar vibes to films like Children of Men (2006). The series also has a fantastic cast, including Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, and Kaitlyn Dever.
While the original Mario Bros. movie from the 90s was a failure (though I seriously love it and think it’s an underrated classic), 2023’s animated film The Super Mario Bros. Movie was a smash hit. Grossing over $1.3 billion at the box office, the movie saw Mario (Chris Pratt) team up with various characters around the Mushroom Kingdom to defeat Bowser (Jack Black).
Whereas the original film featured a totally ‘90s, grungy, cyberpunk world, fans loved that the animated movie stayed true to the video games, creating a vibrant and colorful realm. Plus, the voice cast was stacked with talent, including Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen, and Keegan-Michael Key, among others. For a fun movie that stays super on-brand with the video games, you need to watch The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Based on the iconic SEGA game series of the same name, Sonic the Hedgehog sees Sonic enter the human world and find refuge with a small-town couple (James Marsden and Tika Sumpter). But true to the games, Sonic ends up in a furious cat-and-mouth chase with the evil mad scientist, Dr. Robotnik—played by none other than Jim Carrey in his greatest character performance in decades.
Just like the game series, Sonic the Hedgehog is fast-paced and full of adventure. Plus, the movie uses tons of other goodies from the games, like the gold rings and even naming the town Green Hills. If you’re a Sonic fan, or just love great family-friendly adventure movies like Jumanji (1995) or Jungle Cruise (2021), check this one out. So far, there are three movies and a miniseries. Plus, we can look forward to a fourth film set to release in 2027.
Based on the vehicular deathmatch game Twisted Metal, the series adaptation depicts an alternative timeline where society collapses in the early 2000s, turning America into a wasteland of walled cities, roving gangs, and ample violence. But just like Fallout, Twisted Metal leans heavily into the action and humor, turning this apocalyptic realm into a vibrant, almost cartoonish world.
Think of it like The Fast and the Furious (2000) and Mad Max (1979) came together, with tons of raunchy humor thrown in. It’s wild, it’s full of explosions, and you can tell the entire cast is having a blast. If you want irreverent humor and wild action, Twisted Metal is the show for you. A third season has already been greenlit and is heading for production soon.
Pokémon has seamlessly made the transition to movies and TV numerous times. Most notably, the 1997 cartoon that raised an entire generation of Millennials. The show wasn’t just a successful adaptation of the games, but actually fueled interest, making the games more popular than ever.
Then came the dark and funny noir film Detective Pikachu in 2019, which hilariously turned the world of Pokémon into a gritty, crime-filled megacity. The dichotomy between the childlike Pokémon and the world of sleazy back alleys was amazingly absurd…and incredibly lucrative, earning over $433 million at the box office.
From noir to cozy, Pokémon also debuted its slice-of-life series Pokémon Concierge in 2023. The charming show centers around a resort for Pokémon, and its vibe is cute, refreshing, and relaxing. It feels like a cozy video game came to life. If you’re a Pokémon fan, be sure to check out all three adaptations, since all were met with praise from critics and audiences.
Grossing close to $1 billion at the box office, A Minecraft Movie was truly a video game adaptation for a new generation. It was total meme-bait, loaded with inside jokes, and had lots of cultural references that, if you’re over 30…you probably just aren’t going to get.
But for those who play Minecraft and grew up in the era of social media and virality, the film is actually really smart, super funny, and tons of fun. Plus, all viewers will love Jennifer Coolidge’s fantastically aloof performance, where, as always, she delivers nothing but the best. If you loved the fun adventure (and surprisingly smart humor) of The Lego Movie (2014), then you should watch A Minecraft Movie.
Based on the PlayStation franchise of the same name, Uncharted follows a young brother (Tom Holland) who searches for his missing older brother—and treasure—with the help of an old family friend (Mark Wahlberg). But per usual with treasure-hunting films, deceit and backstabbing add more layers of drama to the story.
Uncharted was a huge success, grossing over $407 million. Its plot stayed very true to the games and was seen as an authentic adaptation by fans. Its one downside is that Uncharted is super generic. If you’ve ever watched an Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider movie, you can probably figure out the entire plot of Uncharted after about 10 minutes. But for adventure fans, it’s still worth a watch.
