Superheroes vs. Video Games: The Great Battle of Film and TV Trends

For a long time, they were seen as silly, cheap, and just plain bad: Movies based on video games. But that perception has since completely changed: These days, game adaptations are consistently winning over both critics and audiences alike. And it feels like every single week, there is a new video game movie or series being announced. So, has the golden age of superheroes in Hollywood finally come to an end? Are we now entering the era of video game adaptations?

In this article, we are breaking down what is really behind this trend. We will highlight the key similarities between superhero films and video game adaptations, and explain why you might want to approach all this new game-based content with a bit of skepticism.

Trends in Hollywood

Throughout its long history, the film industry has repeatedly produced major trends that have shaped cinema for years. And eventually, these trends were always replaced by something new. Westerns dominated for a while, then the dark detective stories of film noir took over. While harsh social criticism was still in demand in the '60s and '70s, movies like "Jaws" and "Star Wars" ushered in the era of popcorn movies. With the rise of blockbusters came a completely new concept: the franchise. For the first time, a movie wasn't just a standalone work but potentially the starting point for sequels and merchandise in every shape and form. A concept that has endured to this day, growing more extreme over time.

The Superhero Era

The perfect example of this is superhero cinema: Over the past two decades, the genre has truly become Hollywood's biggest crowd-puller. Of course, such movies had been around for a while: The "Superman" movies with Christopher Reeve and the "Batman" movies with Michael Keaton were among the first to really get people's attention. But despite occasional successes, major superhero movies remained irregular releases for a long time, with widely varying quality.

It wasn't until the 2000s that the trend really took off, thanks in part to technological advances – namely CGI. Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" and Bryan Singer's "X-Men" proved that superhero stories are ideal material for visually spectacular blockbusters that can also reach a mass audience. Of course, Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" trilogy also set new standards. These films laid the narrative and aesthetic foundation for what was to follow.

The year 2008 marked a decisive turning point: With "Iron Man", Marvel Studios launched an entire cinematic universe. The movie was surprisingly successful, not least because of Robert Downey Jr.'s charismatic performance. In hindsight, "Iron Man" can be seen as the film that kicked off the true superhero boom. Leading the way was the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel wove its films together while introducing new characters and worlds over the years. This all culminated in what seemed like the ultimate finale: "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame" – the narrative, emotional, and box-office peaks of the saga. These movies were impossible to ignore, and the hype surrounding superhero movies reached an all-time high.

But then came the blues. More and more movies started falling short of expectations, and the term "superhero fatigue" began making the rounds. The main criticism: an overwhelming flood of content, a noticeable drop in quality, and an unclear sense of where the characters are even headed. Of course, these are issues that can be addressed. And recent successes like "Superman" and "The Fantastic Four" show that audiences are still interested in superheroes – as long as the quality is right.

Yet, it seems the heyday of comic book adaptations is over – and the competition is already catching up. A new trend is taking hold in Hollywood: Say hello to video games.

The Rise of Video Game Adaptations

Films based on video games were initially ridiculed, much like superhero movies once were. And with good reason: The film industry struggled to unlock their cinematic potential for years. The history of video game adaptations is filled with failed experiments and missed opportunities. Many early attempts were met with mixed to poor reception from critics and audiences. In the '90s, for instance, adaptations like "Super Mario Bros.", "Street Fighter", and "Mortal Kombat" had already hit the big screen. Then, the 2000s saw the release of the "Resident Evil" film series and the "Lara Croft" films starring Angelina Jolie. But genuine success remained limited despite garnering some attention.

Success Stories of Video Game Adaptations

In the meantime, however, things have completely changed: More and more movies and series are based on video games and are finding widespread success with audiences. "The Super Mario Bros. Movie", the "Sonic the Hedgehog" films, and most recently "A Minecraft Movie" have all achieved massive box office returns.

Video game adaptations have also been thriving in the world of TV series. At least the first season of "The Last of Us" won over game fans, critics, and new viewers alike. Equally popular is the adaptation of "Fallout": with a mix of dark humor, retro-futurism, and post-apocalyptic atmosphere, the series managed to capture the unique vibe of the game franchise on screen. Meanwhile, Netflix scored a major hit with the "League of Legends" adaptation "Arcane".

All these examples share one key trait: a dedication to staying true to the original games. This is a significant shift from earlier attempts, where the source material was rarely taken seriously and usually adapted only on a superficial level.

Why Are So Many Game Adaptations Being Released?

There is a particular reason why so many popular games are making their way to theaters and streaming platforms. Games come with something studios love: an existing, dedicated community. Game franchises such as "The Legend of Zelda" and "God of War" have millions of loyal fans worldwide. For studios, this means less risk and more buzz right from the start. Similar to superhero comics, film studios benefit from the well-known IP behind video games. They adapt established brands with high recognition value, which makes marketing much easier.

Another important reason for the boom in video game adaptations: Gaming has evolved from a nerdy hobby into mainstream entertainment over the decades. Unlike in the past, games now appeal to all age groups. This means there's a much bigger overall target audience.

From a fan's perspective, the boom is a double-edged sword: On the one hand, many are excited to finally see their favorite games brought to the big screen. Positive examples from recent years have shown that it can work. On the other hand, there is a risk that the trend of familiar stories being retold and continued over and over again will persist – leaving no room for truly new ideas and creative experiments. In this regard, it doesn't really matter whether the stories come from comics or video games.

Nevertheless, video games still have a big advantage over superhero movies: Many game franchises simply don't exist in cinemas yet. Marvel and DC are finding it increasingly difficult to offer anything truly new. But the gaming market still holds huge, untapped potential when it comes to characters, worlds, and stories that have already proven successful. And even if the adaptation of a particular game series flops, it has little impact on the prospects of other franchises.

What Does the Future Hold?

Overall, the signs are clear: An end to major video game adaptations is nowhere in sight. This is evident from the huge wave of announcements coming out of Hollywood about films based on popular games. For example, later this year, "Mortal Kombat 2" and "Five Nights at Freddy's 2" are already set to be released. In the coming years, we can also expect adaptations of "Ghost of Tsushima", "Gears of War", "Mass Effect", "BioShock", and another "Assassin's Creed". Additional sequels are in the works as well, including "The Super Mario Bros. Movie 2", "Sonic the Hedgehog 4", the second season of "Fallout", and Season 3 of "The Last of Us". And a new "Street Fighter" movie has also been announced. As you can see, the list is long – and it's only getting longer.

But does the rise of video game adaptations also signal the complete end of superhero movies? Unlikely. Of course, we can still expect plenty of superhero films in the years to come. It's more likely that superhero movies and video game adaptations will continue to coexist for the time being.

However, it is also a fact that all major trends come to an end sooner or later. The Western was once Hollywood's most important genre, but today, hardly any are produced. Or take a more current example: Have you also noticed that far fewer comedies seem to be hitting theaters lately?

Time will tell whether Hollywood will continue to invest large sums in superhero films – or whether entirely new mega-franchises based on specific video game series will arise.