The Minecraft movie is finally here — and shockingly, it’s actually a hit. But it’s not the first pixelated powerhouse to jump from your screen to the silver screen.
With Minecraft now surprisingly charming audiences in theaters (yes, really), we took a look back at five other video games that made the leap to the big screen — with very mixed results.
And no, we’re not counting Tetris. That movie slapped, but it’s not really based on the game — it’s about the making of it. We’re talking true game-to-movie conversions. Here’s who tried, who triumphed, and who probably wishes you forgot.
1. Super Mario Bros. (2023)
Let’s start with the obvious one. The 2023 animated Super Mario Bros. movie was a mushroom-fueled fever dream that actually worked — colorful, nostalgic, and packed with enough winks to satisfy hardcore fans and kids alike. Chris Pratt as Mario was… a choice, but the film smashed box office records and became a flagpole-jumping success.
But let’s not forget this wasn’t Mario’s first rodeo. The original Super Mario Bros. live-action film from 1993? A total chaos factory. Think dystopian Brooklyn, creepy lizard men, and Dennis Hopper being weirdly committed as Bowser. It bombed hard. And before that? A 1989 animated TV series where Mario taught kids how to jump rope and floss (not the Fortnite kind).
Turns out third time’s the charm.
2. Silent Hill (2006)
Dark, eerie, and dripping in ash, Silent Hill is one of the few horror game adaptations that leaned all the way into its source material’s nightmarish vibes. The visuals? Chef’s kiss. Pyramid Head? Terrifying. The story? Confusing, but in a “maybe don’t play this alone at 2AM” kind of way.
Critics were split, but fans of the game got what they came for: a creepy, atmospheric tribute to the foggy town of fear. A sequel followed in 2012 — but let’s be honest, it was mostly smoke and no fire.
3. Detective Pikachu (2019)
Let’s be real: no one expected a Pokémon noir comedy starring Ryan Reynolds as a fuzzy electric mouse to work. And yet? It did. Somehow. Detective Pikachu gave us a fully-realized Pokémon world that felt like Blade Runner for kids — in a good way.
Was the plot groundbreaking? Not exactly. But between the nostalgia overload and some genuinely funny moments, it felt like the rare game movie that didn’t just coast on brand power. Plus, Psyduck anxiety attacks? Highly relatable.
4. Tomb Raider (2018)
Angelina Jolie’s early 2000s Tomb Raider movies were campy icons in their own right, but the 2018 reboot starring Alicia Vikander tried to ground Lara Croft in gritty realism. Inspired by the 2013 game reboot, the movie swapped pixelated short shorts for actual character depth.
It wasn’t perfect — critics called it “fine,” which is Hollywood for “we’re not mad, just disappointed.” Still, it proved video game heroines could be more than just action figures with abs. And honestly? We’re still rooting for Lara.
5. Uncharted (2022)
This one had all the right ingredients: a beloved treasure-hunting game series, Tom Holland fresh off his Spider-Man buzz, and Mark Wahlberg doing… whatever he was doing. But somehow, Uncharted felt like a film version of itself — technically fine, but missing the spark that made the games so beloved.
It made money, sure. But when you name your movie Uncharted, maybe don’t make it feel so, well, charted. At least the cargo plane scene delivered.
BONUS: The Sims (TBA)
No release date. No trailer. No confirmed cast. And yet, the upcoming Sims movie has the internet foaming with speculation. Why? Because HOW do you make a movie out of a game where people speak gibberish and pee on the floor?
If done right, this could be the most meta, chaotic, fourth-wall-breaking comedy of the decade. Will there be a weird Plumbob cult? Will furniture mysteriously catch fire? Will someone drown in a pool because the ladder mysteriously vanished? (Don’t lie. You definitely did that.)
