Highlights

• Sometimes, video game characters get perfect live-action casting that transcends mediums.
• Notable examples include Raul Julia as M. Bison, Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft, and Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik.
• Personal touch and faithful portrayal make these adaptations memorable, despite some mixed reviews.

It's not often you get to see one of your favorite video game characters represented in live-action. It seems the majority of the time, those instances are confined to short commercials or films, and the track record of video game movies is so infamous that it could be argued there are more good video games based on movies than vise versa.

But there are moments when the stars align and a video game character receives a pitch perfect casting assignment. It may not be for very long, sometimes even a precious few minutes. But there's something truly magical about watching a beloved character successfully transcend mediums.

9 M. Bison - Street Fighter (1994)

"For You, The Day Bison Graced Your Village Was The Most Important Day Of Your Life. But For Me, It Was Tuesday."

1994's film adaptation of Street Fighter remains notorious among series fans as one of the worst video game movies ever made. But, notably, Street Fighter is also famous as the final appearance of film legend Raul Julia before he tragically passed due to cancer.

He reportedly joined the film because his kids were such big fans of the series. You can see that personal touch in the movie itself, with his delightfully over-the-top performance as General M. Bison remaining fondly in the memories of fans everywhere.

8 Lara Croft - Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)

"I Woke Up This Morning And I Just Hated Everything."

While decidedly less infamous than Street Fighter, the early-2000s Tomb Raider movies received mixed reviews and are seen today as largely inoffensive adaptations, which frankly puts them in a pretty high percentile of best video game movies.

But one thing most can agree on is praise for Angelina Jolie as the titular adventurer. Much like Julia, she is often cited as the main point of positivity in a lukewarm duology of films. Stories that Jolie was cast due to her own appropriately adventurous personality certainly track with how well she embodies the reckless yet suave confidence of Lara Croft.

7 PS3's 'Long Live Play' Ad (2011)

"For All He Does, For All Of Us, To Michael!"

Back in 2011, Sony released a PlayStation commercial that immediately captured the hearts of fans. You're taken into a rustic tavern inhabited by numerous live-action versions of Sony's most iconic gaming figures (during the PS3 era, anyway) as they each tell a story of how one 'Michael' helped them out of a jam.

'Michael' is a stand-in for everyone who plays a PlayStation console, giving the ad a unique personal touch (though maybe a new one with a woman's name and more female characters wouldn't be such a bad call). Plus, each speaking character is still voiced by their regular actors on top of the live-action performers, including Nolan North as Nathan Drake and David Hayter as Old Snake. It's corny, yet still fondly memorable. You can check it out on IGN's YouTube channel.

6 Dr. Robotnik - Sonic The Hedgehog (2020)

"You're As Useful To Me As Backstage Passes To Limp Bizkit."

It's interesting to think of how the Sonic the Hedgehog movies might have ended up if the studio had gone with their original design for the blue blur himself. But as hilarious as that chaos would have been, there's one element that would have been just as endearing, and that's Jim Carrey's extremely Jim Carrey performance as iconic Sonic villain Dr. Robotnik.

Not exactly channeling Robotnik/Eggman as you know him from the games, Carrey brought his own flair to the role across several movies, sparking that same boundless energy he exuded in classics like The Mask and Liar Liar.

5 Sweet Tooth - Twisted Metal (2023)

"Woman's Body!"

2023's Twisted Metal series on Peacock earned some mixed reviews from fans of the original games. But much like free samples at the mall food court, viewers decided they wanted more. This was certainly partially due to excellent performances from Anthony Mackie and Stephanie Beatriz as the show's respective leads, John Doe and Quiet.

But the main draw was clearly the chaotic clown Sweet Tooth, portrayed gleefully by wrestler Joe Seanoa and voiced by Bojack Horseman himself, Will Arnett. They're so effective that you'll almost find yourself rooting for him over his victims. Almost.

4 Joel And Ellie - The Last Of Us (2023)

"Everybody I Have Cared For Has Either Died Or Left Me."

It seems virtually everyone has seen HBO's excellent series adaptation of Naughty Dog's The Last of Us, and everyone else still knows about its flawless casting. Pedro Pascal nails Joel's sad dad energy while Bella Ramsey always seems just shy of biting you if you get too close.

It's almost as if they were made for the roles, and they clearly respect the source material. This post-apocalyptic series quite possibly wouldn't hit quite as hard without them both. Also, honorable mention to Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett as Bill and Frank, respectively, for their similarly flawless and heartbreaking performances as the tragic couple.

3 Everyone - The Witcher (2019)

"If I Have To Choose Between One Evil And Another, Then I Prefer Not To Choose At All."

When Netflix wanted to bring the dark fantasy world of The Witcher books and games to live-action, it had a hefty mission to accomplish. Luckily, it clearly understood the assignment when it came to the casting.

Henry Cavill charms as the gruff Geralt of Rivia, Anya Chalotra endears and terrifies as Yennefer, Freya Allan is exactly who you'd expect when thinking of the young hot-headed potential Witcher Ciri, and Joey Batey perfects his comedic timing as Jaskier. That's just the main group, too. Imagine a huge ensemble cast with that same care and attention. That's The Witcher for you.

2 Albert Wesker (And Others) - Resident Evil (2022)

“I Think We All Have A Choice. We Can Choose Who We Are. Who We Wanna Be. And I Choose... Breadsticks.”

Sadly, this is yet another instance where the performance far outshines the project itself. 2022's one-season Resident Evil series garnered, say it all together now, mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike.

But it's near impossible to deny that the late Lance Reddick put in one heck of a performance as Resident Evil villain Albert Wesker as well as his clones (it was a weird show). It may not be the role he's remembered for, but it's arguably the best live-action portrayal of the classic antagonist yet, an accomplishment that shines even brighter as a diamond in the very, very rough.

1 Nathan Drake - Uncharted - Live Action Fan Film (2018)

"I Don't Want To Micromanage This Thing, But I Think You're Supposed To Be Asking Questions In Between The Punching."

Picture this: Nathan Fillion as Nathan Drake. If you just did a double take at those words, prepare for the most satisfying 14 minutes of your life. Tom Holland's 2022 Uncharted movie based on the games of the same name proved to be a critical and commercial success, but fans of the series itself may have completely missed out on this arguable masterpiece.

Directed by Allan Ungar, this aptly-titled short film sees Firefly star Nathan Fillion finally take on the role of treasure hunter Nathan Drake in a little mini-story that could easily wedge into any of the games. It's even got the video game-style camera work down perfectly (just wait until the 'cutscene' ends). You can check out Uncharted - Live Action Fan Film on YouTube, and get ready to see what fans have been saying for years: Fillion IS Nathan Drake.