One might be forgiven for thinking that Hollywood studios are only interested in somewhat recent properties in the current video game adaptation trend. The Last of Us, the upcoming God of War series, and 2028’s Elden Ring adaptation by Alex Garland- each of these is based on games only 13 years old at the latest, and the wide majority of all video game movies or TV shows are adapting source material originating in or after the early 2000s (an era defined by the medium’s growing capacity for complex storytelling).
But as the more recognizable, more recent works have been quickly snatched up for development, studios are reaching back further for material that’s maybe not as popular now as it was 30 or 40 years ago – The Super Mario Bros. Movie proved just how lucrative classic video game properties could be, and just last month it was announced that Atari was partnering with Universal Pictures to bring 10 games from the 70s and 80s to life.
