Hollywood Focusing on Video Games as Superhero Movies Decline
In recent years, Hollywood has shifted its focus from a comic book obsession to a video game obsession, according to Mattson Tomlin, co-writer of The Batman 2. When asked about the Mega Man movie, Tomlin mentioned that he is no longer working on it but remains hopeful that it will come to fruition, as Hollywood is currently looking to video games for inspiration.
The superhero movie genre has been experiencing a decline, with occasional blockbuster hits like Deadpool and Spider-Man movies breaking through the billion-dollar barrier. However, the guaranteed success of even obscure superhero characters and teams seems to be waning. Marvel and DC have faced struggles with films like Captain America: Brave New World and Supergirl failing to perform at the box office. While upcoming releases like Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday are expected to do well, the superhero movie landscape outside of these tentpole films is challenging.
In contrast, video game movies, especially those aimed at family audiences, have seen massive success in recent years. The top four highest-grossing video game movies have all been released in the last three years. The Super Mario Bros. Movie, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie sequel, and Minecraft Movie have all made billions at the box office. Additionally, movies based on Sonic the Hedgehog and Five Nights at Freddy’s have been hugely successful. Even the Iron Lung movie, despite its low production cost, was a major hit.
While there have been some video game movie disappointments like Mortal Kombat 2, the trend overall shows that Hollywood is heavily investing in video game adaptations. Tomlin noted that he has received five times more offers for video game adaptations than comic book adaptations this year, indicating the industry’s current focus.
Looking ahead, a slew of new video game movies is set for release in the coming years. Films like Resident Evil, Street Fighter, and The Angry Birds Movie 3 are scheduled for 2026, with titles like Sonic the Hedgehog 4, The Legend of Zelda, and A Minecraft Movie Squared set for 2027. Future releases include the Elden Ring movie, Call of Duty movie, and potentially a Battlefield movie in 2028, along with rumors of a Donkey Kong movie. Super Mario Movie 3 is expected in 2029, with other titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Horizon Zero Dawn, Gears of War, Death Stranding, and Metal Gear Solid also in the pipeline.
While iconic superhero franchises like Spider-Man, the Avengers, Batman, and Superman will continue to produce new films, the future growth of Hollywood may lie in the world of video games, with characters like Mario, Link, Sonic, and Steve taking center stage.