Why Every Great Video Game Adaptation Needs a Completely Useless Main Character
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Recent hits like Zach Cregger's Resident Evil and the Golden Axe series prove that video game adaptations work best when they star bumbling, relatable underdogs instead of invincible action heroes.
Hollywood has finally figured out how to adapt video games for the big screen and streaming, and the secret weapon is surprisingly simple. Instead of casting an unstoppable, ultra-competent action hero who never misses a shot, recent hits are putting ordinary, bumbling goofballs at the center of the chaos. As Polygon details, Zach Cregger's critically acclaimed Resident Evil movie ditches traditional franchise leads like Leon Kennedy in favor of Bryan, an out-of-shape medical courier who gives up and cries when faced with a broken elevator and a zombie outbreak. It is a brilliant subversion of the standard power fantasy.
This exact same formula is driving success on the small screen too. Over on Paramount Plus, the new Golden Axe series created by Mike McMahan and Joe Chandler introduces Hampton Squib, played by Danny Pudi. Hampton tags along with a party of battle-hardened warriors as a supposed chosen one, only to be revealed as a useless rich kid who has no idea how to survive a fight. It works because it gives the audience an immediate relatable anchor. When you play a game, you want to feel powerful. When you watch a story unfold on film or television, you need someone on screen who is just as terrified and confused as you would be.
This shift helps explain why past attempts struggled to connect while current projects are thriving. Earlier misfires like the 2001 Mortal Kombat tried to introduce original audience surrogates who turned out to be overpowered chosen ones, completely missing the point. Meanwhile, upcoming projects are doubling down on the schlubby underdog formula. With creators casting professionals at playing overconfident idiots for upcoming adaptations like Far Cry, Hollywood is finally embracing the comedy and absurdity at the heart of gaming culture instead of trying to turn every pixel into a grim, joyless action thriller.
Tags: Video Game Adaptations, Resident Evil, Streaming, Box Office, Gaming Culture
Original article: Polygon