From pixels and polygons to prestige TV series and big-budget motion pictures.

15 major video games getting movie and TV adaptations

From pixels and polygons to prestige TV series and big-budget motion pictures.

By Matt Cabral

Matt Cabral

Matt Cabral is a writer at **.

EW's editorial guidelines

July 15, 2026 11:00 a.m. ET

Leave a Comment

Benjamin Evan Ainsworth in ‘The Legend of Zelda’; Walton Goggins on ‘Fallout’; Austin Abrams in ‘Resident Evil’.

Controller-clutching players of a certain age may lament the mediocre (at best) video game movies of the ’80s and ’90s, but we’ve come a long way since the late, great Bob Hoskins donned the red-and-blue coveralls of the medium’s most iconic, mustachioed mascot.

Sure, the occasional game-based flop (sorry, *Borderlands*) still stings like a hedgehog’s spiky quill. But films and series inspired by our favorite polygon protagonists — from acclaimed streaming hits *The Last of Us* and* Fallout* to crowd-pleasing blockbusters *A Minecraft Movie* (2025) and *The Super Mario Bros. Movie* (2023) — generally elicit more smile emojis than dead pixels these days.

This upswing in both quality and popularity has seen Hollywood press play on more video game adaptations than ever. While some announced projects seem to be in limbo — or have maybe gotten lost down a green pipe — there are many more officially in production or, better yet, leveled up to receive release dates.

So put down your gamepad, pick up a tub of popcorn, and get primed for 15 of the most promising game-inspired movies and series coming soon to a screen near you.

Resident Evil (Sept. 18, 2026 – Theaters)

Austin Abrams gets chased in Zach Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil’.

Columbia Pictures

Capcom’s *Resident Evil** *series* *has been terrifying fans ever since its virally infected canines came crashing through the Spencer Mansion’s windows in that goosebumps-inducing debut. After 30 years, dozens of installments, and more movie adaptations than you can shake a mutated tentacle at, the franchise is stronger (and scarier) than ever.

After launching its (arguably) greatest entry, *Resident Evil Requiem**, *earlier this year, the blood-soaked horror franchise is now primed to level up. The latest big-screen incarnation will come from none other than red-hot filmmaker (and *Resident Evil* superfan) Zach Cregger, on the heels of his critically acclaimed horror films *Barbarian* (2022) and *Weapons* (2025).

His take will be, in effect, a complete reboot. The Milla Jovovich-led era — which was largely panned, but had its critical defenders, both the earnest and the guilty-pleasure variety — is over and done with. Cregger was given carte blanche to make the *Resident Evil *movie he wanted, an original spine-tingling tale set within the seminal survival horror universe.

Given Cregger’s scary-good track record, this one may be as refreshing as a life-giving green herb.

Street Fighter (Oct. 16, 2026)

Noah Centineo as Ken in ‘Street Fighter’.

Paramount Pictures

The aforementioned “video game movie curse” of the ’80s and ’90s was no joke, with fighting game adaptations often representing the bottom of the barrel. But as proven by *Mortal Kombat* *II* (2026), which far surpassed its mediocre 2021 predecessor, these brawler-based adaptations still might have a fighting chance.

Next to come out swinging is* Street Fighter*, Capcom’s series that dates back to the days when you had to cough up a quarter to play it. The 1994 Jean-Claude Van Damme-led version serves as the poster child for bad video game movies, but new director Kitao Sakurai promises his take, at the very least, will feature a stacked cast of colorful characters.

The story unfolds in 1993, where Hadouken-hurling protagonists Ken (Noah Centineo) and Ryu (Andrew Koji) are recruited by fan-favorite, high-kicking heroine Chun-Li (Callina Liang) to compete in the World Warrior Tournament. Beyond that simple premise, it’s the ridiculous roster — including every entertainer from wrestler Roman Reigns to rapper 50 Cent — that will have fans fighting to see it on day one.

Sonic the Hedgehog 4 (March 19, 2027)

Shadow (voiced by Keanu Reeves) in ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’.

Paramount Pictures

Sega’s spiky-haired mascot is back for yet another round. The Blue Blur is set to race to the box office next year for the franchise’s fourth gold ring-collecting romp.

While the likes of *The Last of Us *and *Fallout* are largely credited with breaking the curse that plagued video game adaptations for decades, Sonic’s actually been killing it on the big screen since 2020.

The series — which stars Ben Schwartz as the red-sneakered speedster and Jim Carrey as his nemesis, mustachioed menace Dr. Robotnik — has gotten better with each installment.

Smartly adopting an if-it-ain’t-broke-don’t-fix-it approach, *Sonic the Hedgehog 4 *will also see Idris Elba and Keanu Reeves reprise their roles as Knuckles and Shadow, respectively, while Kristen Bell joins the lightning-quick action as fan-favorite hedgehog Amy Rose.

The Legend of Zelda (May 7, 2027)

Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link and Bo Bragason as Zelda in the upcoming ‘The Legend of Zelda’.

A long-awaited, live-action adaptation of Nintendo’s iconic franchise, *The Legend of Zelda *has wrapped production and is primed to kick off 2027’s summer movie season. A partnership between Nintendo and Sony brings the fantasy epic to the big screen at long last.

Beyond first-look photos of the film’s stars — current *House of the Dragon* star Benjamin Evan Ainsworth and Bo Bragason, looking like faithful versions of the Master Sword-wielding Hylian hero Link and titular Princess Zelda — character and plot details are being protected like the Triforce of Power.

That said, we at least know some behind-the-scenes details. The combined blockbuster prowess of the film’s braintrust could rival the prestige of the divine artifact itself. Former Marvel Studios CEO Avi Arad is producing alongside the game’s legendary co-creator, Shigeru Miyamoto.

Creatively, the film is in the sturdy hands of director Wes Ball, who honed his genre chops with the *Maze Runner* trilogy and *Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes *(2024).

A Minecraft Movie: Squared (July 27, 2027)

Jack Black as Steve, Jason Momoa as Garrett, and Sebastian Hansen as Henry in ‘A Minecraft Movie’.

While Jason Momoa will no longer be squading-up for* Helldivers*, we’d bet our fully upgraded netherite sword that he returns as Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison in the upcoming *A Minecraft Movie* sequel.

Last year’s adaptation of the wildly popular sandbox survival-crafting game didn’t exactly have critics losing their pixels, but faithful fans loved it. They turned out in droves, turning it into one of the industry’s biggest box office successes in years. Fast-tracking the sequel was a no-brainer.

Little is known about *A Minecraft Movie: Squared* beyond its summer 2027 theatrical release date. The assumption is that the primary cast, namely Jack Black, Danielle Brooks, and Emma Myers, will reprise their roles as Steve, Dawn, and Natalie, respectively. Director Jared Hess is also returning behind the camera.

And of course, the blocky universe just wouldn’t be the same without Momoa’s scene-stealing ex-video game champ. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for the return of unconventional romantic couple Marlene (Jennifer Coolidge) and Nitwit (Matt Berry).

Helldivers (Nov. 10, 2027)

‘Helldivers’; Justin Lin, director of the film adaptation.

Arrowhead; Getty

As an arachnid alien-annihilating action game, *Helldivers *seems like the perfect recipe for a popcorn flick. And Jason Momoa, who recently starred in the game-to-movie blockbuster* A Minecraft Movie, *appeared to be *the* best guy to put behind the sci-fi series’ big, bug-squashing hand cannons.

Sadly, Momoa recently dropped out of the adaptation. In any case, the movie, a collaboration between Sony Pictures and PlayStation Productions, is charging forward like a massive, multi-legged Hive Lord.

Set to unleash its Terminid swarms in theaters in late 2027, the movie will lean into both the obscenely over-the-top action and dark, satirical humor of its military-themed source material, positioning it to potentially be this generation’s *Starship Troopers *(1997).

Justin Lin, who has helmed half the films in the *Fast & Furious* franchise, is on board to direct.

The Last of Us season 3 (2027)

Kaitlyn Dever as Abby in ‘The Last of Us’ season 2.

HBO’s award-winning thriller based on PlayStation’s classic post-apocalyptic series shocked viewers — at least, those who were less familiar with the game’s storyline — in its second season by brutally murdering a major character.

While that lethal golf club swing pretty much defined the entire season — which was based on the first half of *The Last of Us Part II* —* *it also completely changed the series’ narrative direction. That significant shift will be further fleshed out in the upcoming third season.

As in the game sequel’s back half, the show will pivot somewhat away from Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) journey and focus more on Kaitlyn Dever’s 9-iron-wielding antihero Abby. Her deceased father will be played by Patrick Wilson.

Other key characters from that stretch of the source material’s storyline — sibling Seraphite cult members Yara and Lev — will be played by Michelle Mao and Kyriana Kratter, respectively. Meanwhile, Peter Sarsgaard joins the cast as original character Amon, one of the religious faction’s leaders.

Season 3 is expected to spread the franchise’s fungal infection across HBO sometime in 2027.

Elden Ring (March 3, 2028)

‘Elden Ring’; Alex Garland, director of the upcoming film.

BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc; Getty

FromSoftware’s dark fantasy role-playing game is better known for its player-punishing difficulty than its fleshed-out storytelling. Still, this ambitious movie adaptation’s pedigree might just be more intimidating than any of the game’s brutally difficult boss battles.

*Elden Ring* uber-fan and accomplished auteur Alex Garland — known for *Ex Machina *(2014), *Annihilation *(2018), and *Civil War* (2024) — will write and direct the film. Meanwhile, none other than *Game of Thrones *author George R.R. Martin, who helped shape the game’s mysterious, menacing universe and cryptic lore, will serve as a producer.

Story specifics are yet to be revealed, but we do know an impressive ensemble — including Ben Whishaw, Cailee Spaeny, Kit Connor, Nick Offerman, Jonathan Pryce, and Tom Burke — will brave the game’s unforgiving Lands Between. The A24-produced film hits theaters like a blood-soaked Blasphemous Blade in the winter of 2028.

'Resident Evil' movie is 'entirely original story' set in game world, Zach Cregger says (exclusive)

The 20 worst video game adaptations, ranked

Call of Duty (June 28, 2028)

‘Call of Duty’; Peter Berg, director of the film adaptation.

Activision; Getty

Activision’s blockbuster first-person shooter will finally make its way to the box office’s frontlines with a promising pedigree and a prime summer release date. The big screen adaptation of the military action game will again see* Yellowstone* creator Taylor Sheridan and *Lone Survivor* director Peter Berg join forces.

The two have successfully collaborated multiple times before. Berg was a producer on the Sheridan-penned, Best Picture-nominated *Hell or High Water *(2016) and went on to produce Sheridan’s directorial effort, *Wind River *(2017). The duo will produce the project and pen the *Call of Duty* script, while Berg — who has other military-themed efforts like *The Kingdom *(2007) and *Battleship *(2012) on his resume — will handle directing duties.

*Call of Duty *is locked and loaded for a theatrical release the summer of 2028. Whether or not the games’ juggernaut success translates to box-office dollars remains to be seen.

Assassin’s Creed (TBA)

‘Assassin’s Creed’; Toby Wallace, star of the upcoming Netflix adaptation.

Ubisoft’s flagship stealth-action franchise, *Assassin’s Creed*, is officially leaping from the shadows onto the small screen. The Netflix adaptation will tread familiar narrative ground — setting the stage for the series’ central, centuries-old conflict between the sinister Templar Order and the eponymous, freedom-fighting cloaked killers — but will spin an original yarn set in 64 AD Rome.

Of course, this isn’t the property’s first, er, stab at live-action success. Michael Fassbender previously wore the hood and hidden blade in the 2016 movie of the same name. That film failed to kick off a cinematic universe, but the franchise is getting another shot courtesy of Emmy-nominated *Westworld *producer Roberto Patino, who also recently produced *Backrooms* (2026). He and *Halo *showrunner David Wiener are overseeing the project.

A sprawling ensemble cast, which includes Toby Wallace, Lola Petticrew, Laura Marcus, Tanzyn Crawford, and Zachary Hart has been tapped for the alt-history action-adventure.

Fallout season 3 (TBA)

Walton Goggins as The Ghoul on ‘Fallout’.

*The Last of Us *may be the biggest title in post-apocalyptic prestige drama, but Amazon Prime’s *Fallout* has deservedly made a name for itself in the streaming landscape as well. With two popular seasons under its belt already, the series will invite fans back to its irradiated Wasteland for a third.

This time, the trio of fan-favorite protagonists — Lucy (Ella Purnell), The Ghoul/Cooper Howard (Walton Goggins), and Maximus (Aaron Moten) — will have some competition from a brand new character played by Aaron Paul.

There’s no word yet on whether the Emmy-winning actor will serve as an ally to one of our Vault-dwelling or Power-armored heroes, or if he’ll break bad in a villainous role. Paul’s previous collaboration with showrunners Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, on the final two seasons of the creative duo’s* **Westworld*, suggests his role will be more significant than that of a radroach.

Far Cry (TBA)

‘Far Cry’; Rob Mac, star and producer of the upcoming adaptation.

Hot off the chest-bursting success of FX’s *Alien: Earth*, the network has tapped its creator Noah Hawley to adapt Ubisoft’s *Far Cry** *action-adventure franchise for the small screen. Much like the long-running open-world game property — and Hawley’s own *Fargo *series — the show will adopt an anthology format, with new settings, characters, and storylines introduced each season.

Adding to the project’s already promising resume is the addition of *It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia *creator Rob Mac, who previously collaborated with Ubisoft on his game-studio sitcom *Mythic Quest*. Mac will also star in the adaptation, though it’s unknown if the show will lean into his comedic strengths or stick with the source material’s darker, survival-focused tone.

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our ******EW Dispatch newsletter******.***

God of War (TBA)

Kratos in ‘God of War’; sci-fi icon Ronald D. Moore.

Following in the wasteland-wandering footsteps of its successful *Fallout *series, Amazon Prime is tripling down on live-action game adaptations. In addition to bringing new life to *Tomb Raider*, the streamer is also forging ahead with a big-budget take on PlayStation’s *God of War *franchise.

The episodic show, based on the series’ 2018 Norse mythology-inspired reboot, will put the brutal protagonist’s Leviathan Axe in the capable hands of* Sons of Anarchy*’s Ryan Hurst.

On top of the appropriately hirsute performer assuming the role of beefy antihero Kratos, the adaptation promises a god-tier ensemble cast, with the likes of *Lost*’s Sonya Walger and *Homeland*’s Mandy Patinkin joining the fray.

Perhaps more exciting for sci-fi fans is that the showrunner is Ronald D. Moore, who masterminded the beloved *Battlestar Galactica *reboot in the 2000s and has since brought *Outlander *and *For All Mankind *to life.

Launch date details are locked down tighter than a chest of glowing red orbs, but the series has already been picked up for two seasons.

Streets of Rage (TBA)

‘Streets of Rage’; Jeymes Samuel, director of the upcoming adaptation.

Some 35 years after fans unleashed their fists and feet in this Sega Genesis beat-em-up, the urban brawler series is set to bring its thumb-pleasing brand of bare-knuckle fisticuffs to the big screen.

The project was originally announced back in 2022, but fresh word on the, er, streets is that scribes Pat Casey and Josh Miller — the duo behind the successful *Sonic the Hedgehog** *films — will now work their magic on the classic side-scrolling fighter’s adaptation.

Meanwhile, *The Harder They Fall* director Jeymes Samuel will helm the action flick. While the franchise dates way back to gaming’s 16-bit era, its most recent release, 2020’s *Streets of Rage 4*, hit like a jaw-shattering Grand Hook with critics and fans alike.

Tomb Raider (TBA)

Sophie Turner as the new Lara Croft; Phoebe Waller-Bridge, mastermind of the new show.

The long-running *Tomb Raider* franchise has already gotten enough adaptations to fill an artifact-cluttered crypt, from the Angelina Jolie-led films and Alicia Vikander’s 2018 reboot to Netflix’s recent animated series.

But like its tenacious relic-hunting heroine, the enduring property is always treading new ground. In fact, Lara Croft is more popular than ever, with multiple new games in the pipeline and what looks to be the character’s most ambitious adaptation yet.

Prime Video’s upcoming live-action refresh puts* Game of Thrones* alum Sophie Turner behind Croft’s signature dual pistols in a series that will also boast the onscreen talents of Sigourney Weaver and Jason Isaacs, among others. More important is the woman pulling the strings: writer-creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the award-winning force of nature behind *Killing Eve *and *Fleabag*.

You’d have better luck tracking down the Atlantean Scion than unearthing details on the show’s plot. But based on the first-look photo of Turner in the character’s unmistakable tank top, it seems to be leaning into the sexy spelunking vibes of the series’ early entries.

- Sci-Fi & Fantasy Movies

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Sci-Fi”