There were many times in my life when I was playing and thinking, “Man, they should make a movie based on this game’s story”. Games with such strong campaigns and great storylines could become Hollywood’s next releases to hit and break the box office.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I know there’s a huge list of games that would have become great movies or TV shows, but there’s a smaller list with my personal preferences and games that I’ve played and loved over the years.
If you want to watch something neat right now, here’s a list of the best TV Shows based on games:
1. Grand Theft Auto V (GTA 5)
Let’s be honest: Who wouldn’t want to experience the story of Grand Theft Auto V (GTA 5) on the big screen with Michael, Franklin, and Trevor? Who wouldn’t want to see the city of Los Santos come to life? The game tells the story of three very different criminals whose lives intertwine in a high-stakes series of heists and crimes, and you’re most probably going to love all three of them.
First and most importantly, the game should feature the exact same actors who did the voices for the game, including Steven Ogg as Trevor Philips, Ned Luke as Michael Townley, and Shawn Fonteno as Franklin Clinton.
Then it needs to explain each character’s story: Michael, a former bank robber living under witness protection with his dysfunctional family, Franklin, a young street hustler trying to make a better life for himself, and Trevor, a violent and unpredictable criminal and Michael’s old partner, which he’ll make you end up laughing in tears.
The story is all about Michael and Trevor. The two did a heist back in the day that gone wrong, and for years, Trevor thought that Michale was dead. Trevor, living in the rural area of Sandy Shores, discovers that Michael is still alive after seeing a news report about a heist gone wrong.
The narrative though begins with Franklin meeting Michael while attempting to repossess a car. Michael, frustrated with his life, takes Franklin under his wing, and later on, the three characters eventually reunite and start pulling off a series of increasingly dangerous heists to resolve their own personal issues.
Seeing Micheal trying to secure a future for his family, Franklin seeking an escape from his current life and all the crime, and Trevor, who on the other hand is a guy driven by a mixture of pretty much everything, including loyalty, psychosis, desire for chaos, dark humor, and so much more that would fit great for the big screen.
2. Call of Duty: Ghosts
Following a gripping tale of survival and resistance in a world altered by a catastrophic event, Call of Duty: Ghosts is one of the best titles the franchise has ever released. The game opens with a devastating event called “Odin Strikes,” where a powerful satellite weapon decimates major cities in the United States, and as a player, you run from the very first moment.
The attacks were orchestrated by a federation of South American nations that have risen to power. The protagonists, brothers Logan and Hesh Walker, along with their father, Elias, survive the initial onslaught and are soon drawn into the covert operations of the Ghosts, an elite military group led by Elias.
The main antagonist, Gabriel Rorke, is a former Ghost turned enemy, manipulated by the Federation through extreme psychological conditioning. His mission is to destroy the Ghosts from within. The story follows Logan, Hesh, and their dog, Riley, through various missions to thwart the Federation’s plans, while dealing with Rorke’s relentless vendetta.
The narrative leads to a dramatic climax where Logan and Hesh confront Rorke. Despite their efforts, the game ends on a cliffhanger, with Rorke capturing Logan, leaving his fate uncertain. If this isn’t going to be a great action movie with lots of drama and deep emotional scenes, I don’t know what is.
3. Batman Arkham Origins
Think about that: It’s Christmas, and you’re outside the theater, waiting to watch a Batman you’ve never seen on the screen. It’s a younger, less experienced Batman, one that the people of Gotham City still don’t believe exists.
The main story takes place in the early years of our favorite hero, and it’s set during a snowy Christmas Eve in Gotham City. A younger, less experienced Batman is targeted by Black Mask, who places a $50 million bounty on Batman’s head. This bounty attracts eight of the world’s deadliest assassins, including Deathstroke, Deadshot, and Bane, all eager to claim the reward.
As Batman investigates Black Mask’s motives, he uncovers that the real mastermind behind the bounty is the Joker, who is making his debut in Gotham. The Joker’s chaotic and unpredictable nature poses a significant challenge for Batman, who must adapt and learn to deal with this new kind of threat.
Throughout the game, Batman encounters key figures who will shape his future, such as Captain James Gordon and the enigmatic Alfred Pennyworth. One of the pivotal moments in the game is the intense battle with Bane, which leaves Batman physically and emotionally exhausted.
The climax of the story involves Batman stopping the Joker’s plan to destroy Gotham and cementing his reputation as the city’s protector. The game ends on a note of hope, with Batman and Gordon beginning to form a partnership that will be crucial in their future fight against Gotham’s criminal elements. This could be the start of a second and third movie, even if some may have had enough with this hero on the big screen.
Although we’ve seen Batman a few times now, we haven’t seen eight of the world’s deadliest assassins trying to kill him to take a $50 million bounty reward.
4. Dying Light 1 and 2 (and maybe 3)
“Wait, what? Another zombie movie? No thanks, Panos, I’ll pass!“. No, wait, it’s not like that, let me explain: Although Dying Light it’s all about killing zombies and trying to survive in a world where humans are also among the biggest enemies, the main story behind it is what makes it that great and popular.
The first game will take you back into the early days of the viral outbreak in the city of Harran. Our main protagonist is Kyle Crane, an undercover operative sent by the Global Relief Effort (GRE) to retrieve a sensitive file from Kadir “Rais” Suleiman, a rogue political figure turned warlord.
Upon arriving in Harran, Crane is attacked and bitten by an infected, but he is saved by members of the Tower, a survivor group led by Harris Brecken. Crane quickly becomes involved in the community, helping them gather supplies and defend against the infected. Meanwhile, he is also working to find the file and fulfill his mission for the GRE. Crane’s journey becomes complicated when he learns the GRE plans to exploit the outbreak rather than end it.
I won’t get deeper into the story of the first game, but the second is even more interesting, as it takes place 20 years after the events of Dying Light 1. The world has changed a lot, and the Harran virus has spread globally, plunging humanity into a new dark age. Here, our main protagonist is called Aiden Caldwell, a “Pilgrim” (wandering survivor) searching for his missing sister, Mia.
Aiden’s journey brings him to the vast city of Villedor, one of the last human settlements. The city is divided between warring factions: the authoritarian Peacekeepers, the freedom-seeking Survivors, and the ruthless Renegades. The story goes even further when Aiden learns that a scientist named Waltz, responsible for experiments on him and Mia, is in Villedor. Waltz’s work is tied to a potential cure for the infection, and Aiden is driven to confront him and uncover the truth about his sister’s fate.
Although the first movie or season 1, let’s say, could focus on the start, the second one could also include all that gliding and paragliding we’ve seen in the games, which if it comes out in high-quality and not as a low-budget project, it let most viewers begging for more. And if Dying Light: The Beasts, the third installment that is yet to be released, is as good as Techland says, we may get to see a third movie or season.
5. Red Dead Redemption 2
If Hollywood was about to make a movie based on Red Dead Redemption 2, I don’t where they could even possibly start. Apart from having a huge storyline with many characters and stories involved, way too many things going on, constant traveling, many enemies, and bad weather that they face during their journey, there’s more to it than meets the eye.
Arthur Morgan, Dutch, and the whole gang can make a great movie that even has a sequel, and Hollywood could start with what happened in the town of Blackwater. Set in 1899, it’s all about a seasoned outlaw, a member of the notorious Van der Linde gang, and one that can be as good or as bad as you can possibly imagine.
In a harsh winter, the gang seeks shelter in the snowy mountains to escape the law and survive through those brutal conditions. They need to find food, raise money, and start a new – and better – life, but humans aren’t the only enemies, as they’ll have to hunt for food, and that includes everything they can find. Red Dead Redemption 2 is all about the tail end of the American Wild West era, and who doesn’t like movies set in that area?
What are some games that you’d love to see Hollywood make movies about? Are any of the ones included above interesting to you or would you like to see another one? Let me know in the comments down below.
