Video Game Films Box Office Performance
In the past decade, video game films have experienced fluctuating performances at the box office. Even though these films were initially not fully embraced, they have continued to gain popularity.
Insights
- Historically, video game films have struggled to reach the blockbuster level. Even seemingly big movie such as Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life backed by a prolific celebrity like Angelina Jolie, only grossed $65.7 million at the domestic office box.
- Video game films such as Sonic the Hedgehog is the fifth video game adaptation to ever get to the $100 million mark at US theaters. Seeing that the movie only took ten days to do, it could become the highest-grossing video game ever to have been witnessed at the box office in the US.
- Despite their sudden rise in popularity, video movies have continued to struggle with negative trends linked with them. The negative trend partly comes from critics, while most of it is because most of the video game movies are box-office bombs. However, some of these movies have managed to do well and grossed impressive returns.
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These movies include;
- Tomb Raider (2018) grossed $274 million, Sonic The Hedgehog (2020) grossed $306 million, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016) grossed $314 million, Prince Of Persia: The Sands Of Time (2010) grossed $336 million, The Angry Birds Movie (2016) grossed $352 million, Rampage (2018) grossed $428 million, Detective Pikachu (2019) grossed $433 million, and Warcraft (2016) grossed $439 million.
- As of February 2020, the highest-grossing video game adaptation at the box office was Warcraft from Universal. The video game is based on the World of Warcraft online game that hauled in $433.6 million in global ticket sales back in 2016, despite a 28% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
- Box office successful video games have had production budgets ranging between $30 million and $60 million, enough of a box office return to justify or encourage more installments into the franchise.
Video Games Films' Successes and Failures
Video game films such as Mortal Kombat, Tomb Raider, and Sonic The Hedgehog have had their fair share of successes and failures and marketing mistakes.
Mortal Kombat
- Mortal Kombat had initially made a successful film, which prompted a Mortal Kombat sequel, with many borrowed elements from the 1995 Mortal Kombat 3 video game.
Success
- While it is a direct sequel that picks up moments after the first movie, many starring cast members did not return for the second one. However, the action of the franchise still shines through the sequel. It began to introduce many of the more fantastical elements within the franchise, which has helped the film become a success, especially the inclusion of shooting fireballs out of one's hand.
Failures
- While Mortal Kombat had its fair share of success, it also experienced some failures. Most of the film's shortcomings were perpetrated by not focusing on the central focus of what made the original such a success. Killer fights and somewhat lighthearted attitude are some elements that made the initial release such a fun movie. Even though the movie used twice the budget, taking away the primal elements caused the film's most significant failure.
- Killing Johnny Cage was also a wrong move as he was one of the principal casts of the original, and fans were already attached to the character. Even though the movie tried to reintroduce elements from the game, the film failed to have enough connective bone to succeed.
Marketing Mistakes
- While Mortal Kombat has experienced a bit of success as a video game franchise, some marketing mistakes have seen its two-live action film adaptations fail to capture the target audience's excitement.
- While Mortal Kombat has experienced a bit of success as a video game franchise, there were some glitches that were overlooked even during marketing. Even though glitches are common in franchises, Mortal Kombat’s earlier games exhibited bizarre or hurtful results in gameplay or graphics.
Tomb Raider
- The Tomb Raider franchise is a classic among other popular video games.
Success
- The film's success has had to incorporate various factors such as maintaining the gaming's first female lead, Protagonist Lara Croft. Lara creates suspense after working hard to survive in the first chapter, creating a longingness to see her become a Tomb Raider in the second chapter as she eventually reaches her destiny in the last chapter. Unlike Mortal Kombat, where a principal cast is killed, making fans lose interest in the film, Tomb Raider maintains its principal cast, which builds suspense among fans.
- The creative team decided to test gamers everywhere as part of the launch. The drill turned out to be a success as it gave fans the chance to gauge if they, too, have what is needed to become the Tomb Raider.
- The testing bit helped the film stand out and become a success. The launch also garnered a lot of media and public attention.
Failures
- While the movie's star delivers her role phenomenally, the CGI chasms fail to convince the audience. After Lara's traditional turf of tombs and jungles, the pace starts to drop, wears off the adrenaline, and the dialogue declines.
- The switch to computer-generated backgrounds is also a fail as it yields the disappearance of physics and sucks the tension dry. The only action and adrenaline-filled scene is the initial bike chase scene, as it is the single action sequence that felt closer to reality.
Marketing Mistakes
- One of the biggest marketing mistakes that Tomb Raider made was the posters. Both of the posters released showed the lead actress looking banged up and dirty. An IMAX-specific version was also not a success as it used the same banner and added large font that completely covered the lead actress's face.
- The trailer was also a marketing fail by failing to create suspense that would draw audiences to want to watch the film. The trailers only show lots of running, jumping, and swimming as various traps and people try to kill the lead character who looks battered and bruised by her adventures.
Sonic The Hedgehog
- Sonic The Hedgehog averted a disastrous failure by delaying the debut date so that the director could redesign the animated character. While this was an unusual move, it ultimately resulted in successful reviews, followed by a three-day opening weekend of $58 million.
- The success of the film was rated the best showing ever for a video game-based movie. The movie exceeded its audience's expectations, and this proved to be a crucial box office victory for Paramount Sonic
- Part of Sonic The Hedgehog's success was prompted by the fact that the film was released in February 2020, shortly before many people were "stuck at home" due to the coronavirus pandemic. Being a family-friendly film, it sold approximately two million units since exiting theaters prematurely because of coronavirus-related closures.
- The film had impressive reviews, leading to more buzz and $146 million domestic, a record for a video game movie, and grossed $306 million on an $85 million budget.
Failures
- While Sonic The Hedgehog was eventually successful, it had a shaky start that had disappointed fans, especially after seeing the first character reveal. The producers released the first picture of the blue hedgehog in 2019, and it was awful.
- Critics gave their harsh feedback, especially regarding the humanoid version of the animated character that was creepy. As a result, the filmmakers had to postpone and adjust some film bits, which cost an additional $5million to the initial budget.
Marketing Failure
- The initial marketing efforts rolled out in 2019 created fears that the Hollywood machine would manipulate sonic into a catchphrase-spouting. While pleasing fans is not an easy task, the first marketing tools released in December 2018 (a poster), and April 2019 (a trailer), created ridicule because of Sonic's creepy character muscly calves and a full set of human-like teeth.
- The initial design's marketing did not go as planned, and it led to an uproar that saw Sonic's original design so hated that the director had to apologize and recall it. Further, the release date was delayed, and more capital was pumped into the project.
Mortal Kombat Fan Insights
Mortal Kombat fan insights provide additional data and information to show the age range, preferences, sense of community, and fans' spending habits.
Age Range
- The average age of Mortal Kombat fans or players is 17 years and above.
Smarts
- Mortal Kombat fans are smart and comprehend concepts easily because, even though fighting games may look like a simple concept, the games are incredibly complicated. Beneath the hood combat lies a complex web of hitboxes and frame data web.
Preferences
- The diehard Mortal Kombat fans prefer film novelizations, as it extends their ability to delve into the world of their favorite movies further. Often, extra scenes, especially those that failed to make the final cut, are featured in the film and more backstory on the characters.
Sense of Community
- Mortal Kombat fans have a sense of community as newcomers are embraced through tutorials. Mortal Kombat 11, for instance, brings together both newcomers and veterans, through a nice blend of fan favorites.
Spending Habits
- Mortal Kombat fans are not spendthrifts. Even though they enjoy the games, they do not enjoy spending much. The Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath, for instance, goes for $39.99, is said to "undoubtedly turn off many fans" even though it comes worth quality additions to the original game.
Mortal Kombat's Popularity
Compared to other popular games such as Call of Duty, Mortal Kombat has proven to be in a class of its own, especially because the game has managed to penetrate popular culture with its iconic elements such as Fatality, Finish him! and Get Over Here.
- Iconic elements (such as Finish him! Fatality and Get Over Here) in Mortal Kombat play an essential role in marking victory. A contest is not over until a player can finish off their opponent with a gory Fatality. Each character on Mortal Kombat X's roaster has two Fatalities that can be used at the end of a match, and there are button combinations required for each Fatality. The "Forward" button means a player should move toward an opponent, while "Black" moves away from the opponent.
- The latest entry in the violent fighting game franchise has 25 new and returning characters. Every cast member has two Fatalities, the one commanded by the game, and a secret one has to be unlocked by a player.
- The Mortal Kombat franchise has managed to attract a cult-like following from gamers worldwide and has become a part of popular culture right from the debut in 1992. Each new blood-soaked edition has proven to be more riveting and delightful than the previous version.
- Compared to other equally popular games such as Call of Duty, Mortal Kombat is arguably the most recognizable and iconic fighting game franchise. Right from its 2D fighter edition to its questionable turn to 3D to its triumphant comeback to form Mortal Kombat, fans have become attached to its interesting history. With the release of Mortal Kombat 11, the mainline series has been ranked from non-fighting entries into the franchise, such as Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero and Mortal Kombat: Special Forces.
- Mortal Kombat 11 sold exceptionally well in 2019. It toppled the half-year reign of the likes of Kingdom Hearts 3, to become the second-highest seller in franchise history, after Mortal Kombat X.