Is 2021 the year of video game movies? All the upcoming releases
Adaptations have a habit of failing. Especially, when the adaptation is based on a video game. (Cough Super Mario Bros. cough.) The wide world of games has plenty of inspiration for filmmakers. Luckily, some adaptations have proven to be successful and the sequels are in the works!
Has 2021 become the year of video game movies? Check out the upcoming releases we can expect in 2021 and beyond.
Mortal Kombat
Is this deja vu? Mortal Kombat is attempting to release another film. The official synopsis reads:
“MMA fighter Cole Young, accustomed to taking a beating for money, is unaware of his heritage—or why Outworld’s Emperor Shang Tsung has sent his best warrior, Sub-Zero, an otherworldly Cryomancer, to hunt Cole down. Fearing for his family’s safety, Cole goes in search of Sonya Blade at the direction of Jax, a Special Forces Major who bears the same strange dragon marking Cole was born with.
Soon, he finds himself at the temple of Lord Raiden, an Elder God and the protector of Earthrealm, who grants sanctuary to those who bear the mark. Here, Cole trains with experienced warriors Liu Kang, Kung Lao, and rogue mercenary Kano, as he prepares to stand with Earth’s greatest champions against the enemies of Outworld in a high stakes battle for the universe.
But will Cole be pushed hard enough to unlock his arcana – the immense power from within his soul—in time to save not only his family, but to stop Outworld once and for all?”
Sounds like we’re in for a rocky ride. Any fan of Mortal Kombat should hopefully enjoy this latest addition to the series and cure some lockdown boredom. The movie is expected to be released in April 2021.
Tomb Raider 2
Warner Bros confirmed a release date of March 19, 2021, for the sequel to Tomb Raider (2018). Amy Jump has been hired alongside Ben Wheatley to write the script in hopes of breaking the video game movie curse. According to Deadline, star Alicia Vikander (playing the role of Lara Croft) is a fan of Jump’s work on the script.
The first film wasn’t a smashing success, but it looks like fans are eager to see what happens next. After Lara saved the world and stopped the deadly virus from escaping the tomb, she returned to London and accepted her place in her father’s company.
However, she soon discovered that Trinity – the group that wanted to release the virus – was directly tied to Croft Holdings through Trinity’s parent company Patna. Ana Miller, the business partner of Lara’s father, is the head of Patna, and Lara figures out that Ana was working with Vogel and Trinity throughout their whole scheme.
Only time will tell if the sequel is a hit or miss. Delays are expected, but Warner Bros are sticking with their March 2021 release date.
Uncharted
This star-studded movie hopes to bring some redemption to video game movies. A few directors have tried to direct this film. Venom & Zombieland director, Ruben Fleischer has stepped up to the plate to direct Mark Wahlberg & Tom Holland among other stars bringing this video game to Hollywood.
The Uncharted movie is now set to be the first cinematic feature headed up by PlayStation Productions, Sony’s home-grown take on the Marvel Studios formula. The official synopsis is:
“A descendant of explorer Sir Francis Drake, a treasure hunter named Nathan Drake believes he has learned the whereabouts of El Dorado, the fabled South American golden city, a cursed golden statue. the search becomes competitive when a rival hunter joins the fray.”
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Which video game adaptation are you looking forward to? Let us know your predictions for these movies in the comments.
