Back when cinema was a fledgeling form of entertainment, we might have struggled to imagine the pages of our favourite books being translated to the silver screen. Yet with the passage of time, countless literary classics have become hit movies and TV shows, inspiring creators in other mediums to explore the possibilities of pushing new boundaries.
Playing video games was once considered something nerds did, yet now gaming has become so mainstream, it’s rare to find anyone who doesn’t play some form of online or mobile game in their spare time. This has also brought about a growing integration of creative mediums, leading to an ever-increasing crossover between the different ways we entertain ourselves.
The merging of entertainment mediums
Perhaps one of the best examples of the crossover between entertainment mediums is Halo, which started life as a hugely successful military science fiction video game, then became a media franchise behemoth. Released as the flagship game when the Microsoft Xbox console was launched in 2001, Halo: Combat Evolved spawned a trilogy of games, along with various spin-offs, laying the foundations for one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time.
Over the last two decades, the Halo franchise of games has gone on to sell more than 81 million copies worldwide, along with expansion into other media. The Halo Universe has inspired best-selling novels, graphic novels and comic books, short movies and animated movies, feature films, and even the new live-action Halo TV series produced by Paramount.
Of course, this is far from the only example of video games that inspired movies and TV shows. But for a commercially successful crossover like the Resident Evil media franchise, there are also those which don’t make the grade, either critically or commercially. That was the case with the Wing Commander game series, which actually broke the mould with full-motion live-action video sequences featuring famous actors when the game was released in the 1990s.
Nevertheless, when the excellent game series was given the movie treatment with the Wing Commander movie in 1999, it was panned by the critics and flopped at the box office. Since then, the franchise is effectively nothing more than a distant memory, with no further video game or movie releases. This is quite interesting, considering the science fiction story parallels with Halo, albeit indicative that staying true to the source material is vital for success.
Finding the right sources of inspiration
Not every video game is an entirely suitable choice to be turned into a movie or TV show. Likewise, the same can be said about popular movie and TV show franchises, which never quite established themselves once video games were based around the source material. For example, despite Game of Thrones becoming hugely successful worldwide for HBO, subsequent video game crossovers have largely failed to achieve similar success.
This perhaps underlines the need to remain focused on what made the original source material successful, in order to achieve similar outcomes once the crossover is made. As the most successful movie franchises of all time, the Star Wars Universe and the Marvel Cinematic Universe have both enjoyed video game treatment. Generally speaking, video games based on the movies have enjoyed great success, largely because they focus on elements that fans enjoyed from the cinematic experience.
By developing video game releases around key movie plots and characters, they tend to enjoy a better chance of success amongst gamers, and vice-versa. This is often the biggest gripe about movies based on successful video games, which already enjoy a dedicated and captivated audience. Most complaints are based around movie productions ignoring the gaming fanbase, while attempting to reach a wider audience, often resulting in failing to captivate either.
This is why finding the right magic ingredients to entertain both audiences is essential, should the crossover be favourably received. Change popular characters or storylines just a fraction too much, an established movie or game fanbase can instantly become highly vocal in their criticism, which never bodes well. Some creative licence is usually welcomed, although the key selling point for success usually tends to be familiarity.
Themed slots are captivating new audiences
As different mediums continue to evolve and merge, due to the exponential growth in popularity of online gambling, slots are inevitably getting the movie and video game treatment. After all, whenever online casinos can tap into established audiences, it’s a win-win scenario that brings players flocking through the virtual doors of their gaming sites.
Indeed, think of any successful movie or video game released in the last couple of decades, and chances are there’s a themed slot game that forms part of the expanded media franchise. But not all slots are the same and neither are the many thousands of online casinos, which is why browsing through detailed reviews via VegasSlotsOnline is always a good idea. They highlight the latest and most innovative slot releases, free and fully playable demo versions, plus listings of recommended online casinos where these slots can be played for cash prizes.
As for themed slots carrying popular movie franchise licences, there are many to choose from. Amongst the highest rated based upon user feedback is Jurassic Park, packed with plenty of prehistoric fun to accompany the spinning reels. Another is a series of slots licensed for the Terminator movie franchise, each of which features the voice of Arnold Schwarzenegger, his most famous phrases, and storylines from the movies.
In fact, such is the detail incorporated in modern slots by game developers, along with including familiar sights and sounds from the movie or video game franchises, there is a growing demand to incorporate more ways to interact and engage. This means that already, some slots are becoming much more than just games of chance, as the spinning reels become increasingly accompanied by elements where skill and knowledge can be rewarded.
Increased unity of our entertainment experiences
What is now increasingly clear is that thanks to embracing modern technologies, entertainment has evolved into something we might never have imagined just a few decades ago. We are now able to interact and engage with the stories from our favourite books, movies, and TV shows.
Our favourite video games have also inspired interesting cinematic alternatives, enhancing the imaginary worlds we enjoy and exploring cherished stories in richer detail. Indeed, when this merging of mediums is done well, it creates an entirely new and marvellous way to enjoy what entertains us. As technologies continue to evolve, the possibilities ahead are quite literally without limits, which is undoubtedly something we can all look forward to enjoying.
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