Every year, with differing degrees of success, Hollywood tries to bring video game franchises to the big screen. 2024 was no different. On the one hand, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 had a very successful holiday box office run and received more favorable reviews as the year came to a close. However, the Borderlands movie has had a bad effect on gamers worldwide, and many people wish to forget about it.
The significant calendar shift begs the question of what the video game industry might expect from 2025 moviegoers. Thankfully, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list that includes a few well-known video game-related movies that are expected to be published this year.
7. A Minecraft Movie
Release date: April 4th, 2025
A well-known video game franchise is trying to bring its universe to the big screen in the new year. After a lengthy period of teasing for a Minecraft movie, fans of the sandbox giant first learnt about the cast, which includes Jack Black as the title character Steve and Jason Momoa as Garrett “The Garbage Man” Harrison.
Despite a six-month delay due to the SAG/AFTRA strike in late 2023, filming is now complete. Fans were curious about how director Jared Hess would combine real actors with the always blocky world of Minecraft.
Given its early April release date, viewers should begin to get a better idea of what to expect from A Minecraft Movie, even though critics haven’t seen it yet. It will be interesting to see how Hess and the rest of the cast handle the film’s central premise, since Minecraft is a game with a rich history that gamers have adhered to throughout the years. A Minecraft movie has been in the works for over a decade. Furthermore, considering the history of video game movies with names as well-known as Minecraft, the pressure on this movie is tremendous.
6. Five Nights at Freddy’s 2
Release date: December 5th, 2025
To speak of video game franchises that control the movie business, Five Nights at Freddy’s second edition is slated for release in late 2025. Everyone, including Josh Hutchenson as our protagonist and William Afton’s son, Mike, and Matthew Lillard as the antagonist William Afton, is set to reprise their previous roles under Emma Tammi’s supervision.
When the first Five Nights at Freddy’s film came out in theaters in October 2023, reviews were divided. Because early reviewers had so many issues with the film, it started out with a 32 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, the atmosphere changed significantly once the movie entered the hands of lore-aware fans and simultaneously made its theatrical and streaming debuts. With multiple reviews praising Tammi and company for their superb interpretation of the franchise’s rich narrative, the fan score soared to an astounding 86 percent.
First time for everything, huh?
Since the next installment is slated for release in December, FNAF fans still have plenty of time before they can visit theaters to watch it. The most recent information came directly from Matthew Lillard, who talked about how he adored the script and how he began filming last November. Blumhouse appears to be working quite fast, but it’s unclear if Lillard has a different shooting schedule than the other actors. On social media, fans have only so far seen an October teaser image announcing the release date; a trailer is expected to debut in early 2025.
Blumhouse
5. Until Dawn
Release date: April 25th, 2025
Some video games can be quite challenging to adapt into good movie pictures. Until Dawn isn’t one of those video games. The 2015 horror game by Supermassive Games won numerous awards, particularly for its world-building, gripping story, and superb acting from its actors, particularly Rami Malek, who sadly does not feature in the movie. In many ways, Until Dawn is as near to an interactive horror movie as they get, thus it seems apparent to Hollywood that it should be made into a movie.
Fans should be even more excited because the film will be directed by David F. Sandberg, who made his breakthrough with Light’s Out and Annabelle: Creation. As seen by two well-known horror movies with very different budgets, Sandberg may utilize a lot or little to make a terrifying movie for viewers. Similar to the 2015 game Until Dawn, the film’s cast consists of lesser-known actors vying for their first roles. Although their roles are yet unknown, it’s interesting to note that Ella Rubin from The Idea of You, Maia Mitchell from Teen Beach Movie, and Odessa A’zion from Hellraiser have all signed on.
Until Dawn was completed by Sandberg in early October 2024. Until Dawn, a lesser-known video game with an intriguing storyline for Sandberg to work with, seems confident for its movie premiere. April appears to be the month to watch if you like to watch movies and play video games.
4. Mortal Kombat 2
Release date: October 24th, 2025
More than six months after Until Dawn, we will release Mortal Kombat’s second cinematic appearance, our next video game movie adaptation. Simon McQuoid’s first Mortal Kombat was a rather unexpected success, even though it was released on streaming services in 2021. The second film will be released soon with even greater strength both in front of and behind the camera.
Jeremy Slater, the producer and screenwriter of Death Note and Moon Knight, is the most recent addition to the pen and paper. In front of the camera, Karl Urban, who most recently portrayed Billy Butcher on The Boys, will play the legendary Johnny Cage. Plot and performance, the two main complaints of the original Mortal Kombat, should be directly addressed by these two newcomers, which makes them particularly exciting.
Mortal Kombat 2’s filming is now finished, and the laborious visual effects process has begun. Many fans are eager to see the franchise’s second entry go deeper into the mythos, with many calling for a real tournament to finally occur and connections to the pivotal Outworld. Last Halloween, producer Todd Garner shared a dark figure on X, which might have hinted that the Shao Kann, with his renowned helmet, is the main enemy for MK2. This was a pivotal moment in the story.
3. The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep
Release date: February 11th, 2025
If you can’t wait until April to get your fix of video game movies, Netflix and The Witcher franchise have you covered. As excitement for season 4 of The Witcher builds, Sirens of the Deep will take fans back to a different era of Geralt of Rivia’s life and his renowned monster-hunting abilities. Despite the Witcher franchise’s difficulties in maintaining a coherent timeline between the games, live-action series, and animated features, Netflix made it plain during their Geekd Week last year that Sirens of the Deep takes place between episodes five and six of season one.
Because so many actors had committed to roles in other facets of the Witcher universe, the cast of Sirens of the Deep piqued the interest of many. Doug Cockle, who dubbed Geralt in the computer game Witcher 3, will reprise his role in Sirens of the Deep, according to a trailer. Joey Batey will return to her role as Jaskier, and Anya Chalotra, a live-action Witcher actress, will voice Yennefer of Vengerberg in Sirens of the Deep.
The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep aims to further bring the rather fragmented timeline of The Witcher franchise back together as it creates suspense for the two next seasons of the live-action series.
