Over the past few years, there seems to have been an increase in film and TV adaptations of video games. While there are certainly exceptions, games never seem to translate well to the silver screen. However, a few adaptations look to have the potential to buck the trend of video game movies being generally poor quality. The two upcoming films that seem to be sticking out in everyone's minds are the Uncharted and Resident Evil films. Although both game series seem to follow pretty straightforward stories, the films shouldn't need to feel weighed down by the expectations set by the source material. All that matters is that they're quality films.
Many video game movies suffer from not only being poor adaptations of their source material, but generally being poor films to boot. Both Uncharted and Resident Evil: Welcome to Racoon City have the potential to be good films even if they aren't faithful adaptations of their games, and that's okay. With the high-quality personnel who are attached to each project, the two films could be setting themselves up for success even if they aren't exactly what fans of each series is expecting.
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Using Uncharted and Resident Evil As A Jumping Off Point
Because of how solid the premises for both Uncharted and Resident Evil are, the films can take the ideas laid out in the games in an entirely new direction. While that might not do well to please diehard fans of each series, it could still make for interesting storytelling using characters and ideas present in Uncharted and Resident Evil in new ways. As some fans have expressed, Uncharted might be retreading old ideas from the games if the few pieces of public information about it are to be believed. That said, it seems like the film will be taking the franchise in a somewhat new direction if it's covering things not seen in the games while potentially still contradicting them.
Similarly, Resident Evil: Welcome to Racoon City wiill cover the first two games in the series. While that sounds like any RE fan's hopes for a potential film adaptation, simply having each game play out scene by scene won't necessarily make for a good or well-paced film. It's likely that Welcome to Racoon City will need to restructure certain elements to properly adapt the games to fit the structure of a movie. Although that might not be ideal for anyone wanting a direct adaptation, the first two games are more of a jumping-off point to tell a reworked RE story.
Respecting The Legacies Of Uncharted And Resident Evil
As long as the two films respect their franchises' legacies, then they'll be set up for success. Time and time again, video game movies don't seem to want to adapt the stories told in their respective games. Films like Monster Hunter, Alone in the Dark, or even the original Resident Evil series all completely misunderstand their source material. While they may end up seeing certain levels of financial success, video game movies rarely capture the hearts of gaming enthusiasts since it seems like Hollywood doesn't understand what makes each game great.
With a game as easily watchable and understandable as Uncharted, it seems like there's potential for an Indiana Jones-style adventure film to be the final result. Although Resident Evil was already turned into a film franchise that missed the mark, hopefully, a new director is able to capture the essence of the games and translate that to film. Similar to Uncharted, Resident Evil is easily watchable and could be converted into a solid horror movie if those behind the project understand why the games found the success that they did.
Uncharted is scheduled to be released in theaters on February 18, 2022.
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