10 Video Games Perfect for the Big Screen

The curse of bad video game films has been broken multiple times in recent years. Video games have not only been able to release good films with the Sonic trilogy and the Super Mario movie but have also released good TV series. Phenomenal shows, like The Last of Us and Arcane. 2025 is looking like another great year for video games to explore other media but it raises a question. What other video games can make that leap to the big screen and stick the landing? Well, here are 10 video games perfect for the big screen.

With the success of Nintendo and Illumination's Mario film, Nintendo fans have been begging for Nintendo to give The Legend of Zelda the same treatment. The question though, is which game would best translate. How would a director be able to capture the essence of adventure that makes these games so special? Honestly, 3 titles would translate the best.

First, The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker might be the best choice if Nintendo wants to continue making films specifically for children. Its whimsical art style and high-seas adventure could introduce a brand new generation to Zelda.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess would be a great choice if they wanted to tell a more dark story. This game would also make a great animated film, but it could also be good for live-action.

Last but not least, one of the best games of all time, Ocarina of Time would be another great Zelda title for a film adaptation. However, compared to the other two titles it might be better realized as a television series and at the very minimum a trilogy of films. No matter what Nintendo does with Zelda it will probably be a smash hit.

Speaking of film trilogies, a film trilogy of the Bioshock franchise would be phenomenal.

Bioshock would've been perfect Oscar bait since it deals with philosophy and intense themes. Bioshock's aesthetic and atmosphere would also make for a visually interesting film series and its twists would translate well to film. If only one film were to be made from the franchise either Bioshock or Bioshock Infinite would work well even though they are opposites of each other visually.

The story and bond between Kratos and Atreus in God of War's soft reboot is incredible and would be even better on the big screen.

A deep emotional father-son relationship would work extremely well in bringing in people who know nothing about the IP. Also if the film does well, filmmakers have more to pull from as the story of God of War Ragnarok is just as good with its themes of grief, parenting, and redemption alongside its already cinematic action set pieces. This game is just begging to be reimagined on the big screen.

Similar to The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy has many rich narratives that can be turned into amazing films.

Every Final Fantasy game tells a standalone story outside of a few direct sequels. When thinking about the best video game stories, this franchise has some of the best in the medium. When it comes to what would make a good film, some titles stand out.

Final Fantasy VII is on a generational run right now with the release of the Remake trilogy. The story of Final Fantasy VII is too epic to fit into a film but you could argue that a lot of gamers are tired of this story so if one of the games were to get a film adaptation it shouldn't be VII.

But if not Final Fantasy VII, which game(s) would make the best film? Final Fantasy X could do extremely well and could be a great test to see if people are still interested in seeing a continuation of the story. Square Enix has expressed interest in doing a Final Fantasy X-3 maybe a well-animated movie could remind the world why Final Fantasy X was so great.

Moving away from the more dramatic and serious entries on the list, Undertale could be and would be a classic children's movie.

The game's storytelling is quirky and hilarious. It has a phenomenal cast of interesting characters that are memorable and would resonate with older audiences. A well-thought-out animated film in the vein of Inside Out would be perfect for this indie game. Toby Fox, the developer of Undertale and its sequel Deltarune, has a good relationship with Nintendo. I wouldn't be surprised if the classic title doesn't receive some sort of high-budget adaptation eventually.

Kingdom Hearts is begging to be adapted into a cozy film in the style of Frozen.

A Kingdom Hearts film would be a win/win for Disney because they wouldn't quite have to work as hard. This franchise already reuses a lot of the story beats from previous Disney IPs, especially Kingdom Hearts 3. A Kingdom Hearts film adapting the story of the first title could work wonders and it wouldn't be much risk since Disney at this point is too big to fail.

Kingdom Hearts' story could do with some simplification to make it digestible for children but if anyone can reel in Square Enix's storytelling style it's Disney.

Elden Ring's massive world might not work well as a singular film however it could work as the foundation for an artsy visual masterpiece.

This title's story mostly happens before you even press start. There's enough information for From Software to work with a talented director to create an origin story for some of the more interesting characters in Elden Ring's world. The landscapes would also look gorgeous in both a live-action or animated film.

A movie with minimal dialogue and atmospheric/environmental storytelling might not be a blockbuster hit in normal circumstances but Elden Ring might be big enough to appeal to hardcore fans and newcomers alike.

The story of Firewatch is incredible and while the rest of this list would benefit from a large budget and intense film production, Firewatch would truly shine as an indie film.

There are only a handful of characters in the game's narrative as it mostly focuses on Henry and his connection with Delilah. Cinematography and intimate acting would make this story that much better. Its themes of loneliness, escapism, and emotional healing just scream Netflix original or Sundance festival and a Firewatch film would make a perfect date night movie.

Portal would be the hardest game to adapt but it could be the best film out of the list if it's done right.

The story of Portal is intimate and mysterious. While Firewatch would benefit from a smaller production team, a game like Portal needs a big budget to bring the portal gun to life. Also, the original voice actress of GLaDOS would need to return. There is no Portal without Ellen McLain. All of the pieces for a unique science fiction thriller are present in Portal, it only needs Valve to reach out to some directors. There was a rumor of a potential Portal film being worked on but at this point, it might just be too difficult to make and a third title would be better.

Rockstar are some of the best writers that the industry has. Any of their games would make for riveting films but as of 2025, none fits better than Red Dead Redemption 2.

Western films aren't as popular nowadays but a film adaptation of this phenomenal game could change that. Arthur Morgan's journey is complex and raw, the landscapes of the Wild West would be breathtaking on the big screen, and the overall story is gut-wrenching. A lot of people still believe that video game stories are immature for the most part and this is one of the stories that can captivate an audience of adults. A good Red Dead Redemption 2 film would be a net positive for art as a whole.