The Video Game Movie Curse, Explained in Under 10 Minutes

Why are video game movies so bad? For 26 years, not one Hollywood video game movie reached 7/10 with audiences on IMDb. Then something changed in 2019. And last week, Street Fighter (2026) got a B− CinemaScore from audiences: the exact same grade as the 1994 movie. 🎮 MY GAMING SETUP 🎙️ Mic · Shure MV7+: https://geni.us/hZrFbE 🖱️ Mouse · Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike: https://geni.us/A05P 🎮 Controller · PS5 DualSense: https://geni.us/VBLZvXz 🎧 IEMs · Truthear x Crinacle Zero:RED: https://geni.us/634wz8 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. ────────── This is 30 years of video game movies from the audience's side: IMDb ratings, CinemaScore grades and what viewers actually said. • Super Mario Bros. (1993), Street Fighter (1994), Mortal Kombat (1995) and Tomb Raider (2001) • Resident Evil (2002) and its sequels, Uwe Boll's movies, Hitman, Max Payne, Prince of Persia, Assassin's Creed and Warcraft • The turn: the Sonic redesign, Detective Pikachu, The Super Mario Bros. Movie and A Minecraft Movie • Why Street Fighter (2026), Mortal Kombat II and Mario Galaxy still split fans • What it means for Sonic 4, The Legend of Zelda, Minecraft 2 and God of War Why do video game movies fail? Audiences forgive a weak story when a movie feels like the game. But the only ones that crossed 7/10 felt like the game AND told a story that works even if you've never played it: The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Gran Turismo and Resident Evil (2026). Which one does Hollywood get right first: Zelda or God of War? Tell me in the comments. Sources: IMDb ratings (IMDb datasets, 21 Oct 2026), CinemaScore grades as reported at release, Letterboxd user reviews (JoshuaCaine, Patrick Willems, Alucard), Rotten Tomatoes critics' scores, box office from The Numbers and Deadline. Footage and images belong to their respective owners and are used for commentary and criticism. Dave Bautista photo: Super Festivals, CC BY 2.0. #VideoGameMovies #StreetFighter #ResidentEvil