Adapting video games into movies and television series is a move that has caused commercial failures and bad reviews throughout the years. However, the panorama seems much more promising today, thanks to The Last of Us and Super Mario Bros. The Movie. As a result, it might seem like creating films or series based on gaming franchises might be a safe bet, but the reality could be different.
The American company, Take-Two Interactive, addressed this trend regarding the rise of video game adaptations. The company has two big franchises that could potentially work as movies and television adaptations, including Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead Redemption, XCOM, and Mafia.
About this trend, CEO Strauss Zelnick stated that video game adaptations pose a significant risk for a relatively small economic opportunity. In addition, Zelnick stated that the Super Mario Bros. The Movie and The Last of Us, which performed well commercially and earned positive reviews, were anomalies to the recurring failure tendency that involves bringing video game releases into the big or the small screen.
Thanks to this, Zelnick says that the company has adopted a selective approach to licensing its projects, and it will only pursue movie adaptations of its franchises when there are economic and creative reasons behind it. As result, it is unlikely that audiences will ever see adaptations of Grand Theft Auto or Red Dead Redemption, but Take-Two’s approach might change depending on the success of is projects.
