There are currently a metric ton of video games about to be turned into movies, mostly based on a number of recent hits in the genre from Assassin’s Creed to Warcraft to BioShock and more. But the problem? Video game films to date are rarely good, and as a result, they’re not exactly rolling in cash.
The box office receipts for most video games have been less than stellar, but with this new wave coming, I thought it would be wise to take a look at the top grossing video game movies of all time. These are domestic receipts, and though some did quite well high up on the list, they seem to be the exception, not the rule.
[Photo via Buena Vista]
10. Pokemon: The Movie 2000 ($43,758,684)
This was the second feature length Pokemon film made, and the first one is actually a bit higher on the list. It was set in the “Gold/Silver” era of the games, and did decently well back when Pokemon fever was at its peak. More recent films haven’t done quite as well, and most are straight to DVD rather than shooting for wide theatrical release.
[Photo via Warner Bros]
9. Silent Hill ($46,982,632)
One of the only films on this list that isn’t “Title: Stupid Subtitle,” I would argue that this is actually one of the better video game films out there, as it was pretty faithful to the source material and well-executed. Unfortunately, that still makes it fall into the trap of “being good for a video game movie” rather than “being a good movie,” as there are far, far better horror films out there. Still, it was well done.
[Photo via Sony Pictures]
8. Resident Evil: Extinction ($50,648,679)
You’re about to see a lot of Resident Evil on this list. The series has been relatively cheap to make, and all the sequels so far have made more money than the original. The subtitles don’t have numbers and can make the films hard to keep track of, but this is the third in the series, I believe.
[Photo via Screengems]
7. Resident Evil: Apocalypse ($51,201,453)
Apocalypse was the first sequel after the original Resident Evil, and did better than the first and third films.
[Photo via Screengems]
6. Resident Evil: Afterlife ($60,128,566)
Afterlife is the fourth in the series, and did better than any others. The fifth film, “Retribution” fell short of the top ten list, but still beat the original. There’s no telling how long they’re going to keep making these, but there’s at least some level of an audience for them.
[Photo via Screengems]
5. Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life ($65,660,196)
Finally we get to move on from Resident Evil. The sequel to the original Lara Croft: Tomb Raider did pretty well, though it got an infinitely more stupid title by shifting the colon around to the point where an extra one probably should have been added. Or at least a comma. Lara Croft, Tomb Raider. Anyway, the sequel didn’t do better than the first film, but still performed well, say it with me, “for a video game movie.”
[Photo via Paramount]
4. Mortal Kombat ($70,454,098)
The oldest film on this list, Mortal Kombat actually did really well in theaters, despite being generally terrible, because the series was at its peak. And the mid ’90s was full of terrible movies, so it was hardly the exception. I can almost guarantee we’ll see a reboot of this in theaters within ten years.
[Photo via New Line]
3. Pokemon: The First Movie ($85,744,662)
This is, as the title helpfully explains, the first Pokemon movie, and it did really, really well as the series was exploding in popularity back in ’99. If Nintendo ever teams up with Pixar for a new Pokemon movie, expect all these records to be shattered.
[Photo via Warner Bros]
2. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time ($90,759,676)
Prince of Persia was probably the most notable attempt at a blockbuster video game movie with an A-list cast (Jake Gyllenhaal, Ben Kingsley) and a mega-producer (Jerry Bruckheimer). But the film itself was rather average and forgettable. It wasn’t necessarily bad, but it was far from good, and nowhere near a classic. But it did well enough to land the number two spot on this list.
[Photo via Buena Vista]
1. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider ($131,168,070)
I mean, come on, no one in their right mind could turn down the opportunity to see Angelina Jolie suit up to play Lara Croft. The film was again, a mediocre action movie, but the star power and game name recognition propelled it to the number one spot on this list. If I had to guess, one of the upcoming game films will beat its record within the next three to five years. My money’s on Duncan Jones’ Warcraft.
[Photo via Paramount]
