Honestly, if a fighting game has been adapted into a feature film, I'll not only watch it but probably end up unabashedly loving it as well. Don't judge me! I've already pitted Street Fighter against the original Mortal Kombat. Hell, I've even recommended multiple MK movies, since I also talked up the laughably bad MK: Annihilation.
Look, Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat are great and all, but I'd love to see some of my other favorite fighting game franchises get film adaptations. These are all worthy IPs and could certainly entertain the masses. Let's talk about these five particular series.
Killer Instinct
Developed by Rare, the same company behind bangers like Donkey Kong Country, Perfect Dark and Goldeneye, Killer Instinct was always one of the coolest (and loudest) fighting games in the arcade. Structured around combos, it wasn't entirely uncommon to see somebody bust out a 100-hit combo ("Ultra! Ultra! Ultra!...), at the end of a second round.
The game also had a plethora of amazing characters. You had Sabrewulf, who looked like he stepped right out of one of the Underworld movies (which we've ranked), a ninja, a boxer, a freaking alien, a dude literally on fire, a robot, an assassin lady, an indigenous chief, a skeleton man and a dinosaur -- because why the hell not?
There was also an arguably not-as-good sequel released in 1996 that took the series back in time, and then it lay dormant for YEARS until 2013. That's when it came roaring back on the Xbox One. There were familiar favorites in the title but also insane new characters over multiple seasons, including a rage ghost named Hisako, who could stand alongside even the scariest creatures horror cinema can offer.
There have been Killer Instinct comics and, funny enough, an unrelated movie bearing the same name came out in 1992. Said film is about a lawyer who's having an affair with a District Attorney's niece. But of course, that's a far cry from what we're discussing here.
I’d love to see this game get a movie -- one starring Tony Jaa as Jago. Story-wise, the series is all over the place, but a lot of it centers around the malfeasance of a mega corporation called Ultratech. (Sure, whatever.) Can we just see some massive combos performed by live actors on the big screen, already? That’s all I want.
Soulcalibur
Formerly Soul Edge, and then Soul Blade, the Soul series (not to be confused with the Soulsborne genre) really hit its stride with Soulcalibur, which hit arcades in 1998 and had an amazing port on the Sega Dreamcast.
The series has since had a number of sequels and spin-offs, but the last game to come out was the polarizing Soulcalibur VI back in 2018. So we fans of “the brave new stage of history” have kind of been left out to dry. Meanwhile, Bandai Namco’s other fighting game franchise (a some little known series called Tekken, which has been adapted at Netflix) has a brand new game dropping in the near future. What the hell, Bandai Namco?
Yet I guess sales for Soulcalibur VI weren't great, which sucks since this is an awesome franchise. The series can best be described as historical fantasy, as it's set in the past and sees people from different locations around the world fighting over a sentient blade called Soulcalibur (hence the title). The characters are collectively a really bizarre lot, with there being everything from a typical samurai (Mitsurugi) to a blind leather daddy with claws (Voldo). There's even Link from the Legend of Zelda series (which I also want to get a film).
And here’s what really sucks. At one point, there was actually supposed to be a Soulcalibur movie. There was once even a teaser for it, though it’s now a site for Lomi Lomi massages of all things. But as you can see, we never got said movie and may never get it. Hell, this franchise hasn't even received an anime. No fun!
Virtua Fighter
Unlike Soulcalibur, which looks like it might be dead, Virtua Fighter is still kicking… sort of. I’ll explain. The popular Sega fighting franchise was revolutionary upon its release back in 1993, as no other fighting game looked like it at the time. More importantly, no other fighting game played like it at the time (or even today).
Unlike its contemporary Tekken, which came out in 1994, VF focused more on realistic combat. (Well, except for when characters jumped, as it looked like they were on another planet with low gravity.)
There are multiple titles and spin-offs in this franchise, but the last game in the series, Virtua Fighter 5, came out all the way back in 2006. It only received updates ahead of the release of best version of the game, Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown in 2010, which has received subsequent updates itself on the newer consoles (Though, no rollback netcode).
Honestly, one of the reasons why I would love this series get a movie is because I have no idea what the story actually is. Yes, there was an anime starring series mainstay, Akira, but even it seemed content with focusing more on the awesome combat than the actual story from what I’ve seen of it.
I’d actually like these characters, like Kage-Maru, and Wolf, and Jeffry, who are all in the anime, to be fleshed out (and presented in live-action!), since they’re my favorites. But really, maybe we should be focusing more of our energies on getting a VF6 first. I still want it, Sega!
Guilty Gear
HEAVEN OR HELL! Guilty Gear is one of the most unique fighting games out there, so it would be really cool to get a live-action film version of it. The main protagonist is a bounty hunter named Sol Badguy, who is a huge fan of the band Queen (And yes, I mean the band who gave us “Bohemian Rhapsody.”) He’s not much of a hero, but he’s in a world that doesn’t really call for them. He dwells in a post-apocalyptic landscape where magic has basically supplanted technology. The characters are some of the weirdest you will ever find in any series (Bedman, anyone?), which just makes it all the cooler.
There have been many Guilty Gear titles and spin-offs, with the most recent game, 2021’s Strive, really bringing attention to the series, especially at competitions like EVO. Like all Arc System Works offerings, this game really provides eye-popping visuals and really rocking music. So it would be awesome to see all of that brought to the big screen with real-life actors. My only question is, who’s playing Bridget?
There have been novelizations of the series, and the story modes of some of these games are like an anime. But there still hasn’t been a movie based on it. (Though, there is an anime series based on BlazBlue, which is often considered a spiritual successor to GG.)
Bloody Roar
And lastly, to be filed under the “never gonna happen” category is a live-action movie for one of my favorite, ostensibly forgotten fighters, Bloody Roar. Created by Hudson Soft, the story can get a little convoluted, but the premise is simple. People can turn into animals. (Do you remember Animorphs?) Well, BR pretty much what would happen if that series was turned into fighting game -- but with copious amounts of blood.
Here’s the thing. I would really love a live-action version of Bloody Roar because, unlike some of the other games on this list that might be dead, I’m pretty sure this IP is DEAD dead. We haven’t gotten a new title in the series since the fourth installment hit in 2003.
But if a new movie was made, maybe that could reinvigorate the franchise. There have been manga written about the story, which can get a little kooky, but that’s about it. A live-action movie would be nice, don’t you think?
And that’s the list. Look, if Dead or Alive can get a live-action movie, then I don’t see why these games can’t get them, too. Let's cross our fingers and toes that at least some of these ideas come to fruition.
