Newslist

Movies have always reflected the society and the culture of its time. The evolution of movie genres has made this more evident. For millennials, their cinematic experiences were defined by iconic comic book characters and superheroes. Be it 'Batman', 'The Avengers', 'Sabrina The Teenage Witch', or 'Chacha Chaudhary', the late 90s and early 2000s were all about comic-book adaptations.

These movies gave us a sense of nostalgia with characters who became a part of our cultural identity.

Cut to 2025 and there has been a major shift. Enter Gen Z—the generation that didn’t just grow up with comics but were also immersed in the world of video games. Gaming consoles replaced comics. Video games like ‘Minecraft’, ‘Super Mario Bros.’, ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’, and 'Resident Evil’ became a major hit with Gen-Z kids.

Video game-based movies on the rise

Video game-based films are now the hot trend, bringing characters and stories from the digital realm into the movie theatres. The recently-released ‘A Minecraft Movie’, starring Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Danielle Brooks, and Emma Myers is the latest example of this rising trend.

The movie brings the world of Minecraft to the big screen, so we see players explore, create, and survive in a 3D sandbox. And this is not just another video game adaptation, its popularity points to a larger cultural shift. People aren’t just watching a movie; they are taken back to their much-loved video games through such adaptations as well.

Apart from this, we also have the ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ series, which brought the classic world of the blue hedgehog to life. And let's not forget ‘Resident Evil’, which has had a longstanding legacy in both the gaming and movie world.

Clearly, the nostalgia factor is undeniable, yet the movie appeals to a new generation of gamers.

But for millennials, things were different...

For Millennials, ‘The Avengers’, ‘Batman’, ‘Iron Man’, and ‘Spider-Man' were all larger-than-life figures on the silver screen.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) created a shared universe that spanned multiple movies and TV shows. But now, things are slowly changing.

The difference between video game-based and comic-based content

For those wondering why video game-based films are more appealing, gamers have already spent hours exploring the environments, mastering the characters, and even living out the narratives.

So, it is natural that when they sit down to watch these films, they feel like they’re stepping into something they already know.

While the appeal of watching ‘Spider-Man’ swing through the city or the ‘Avengers’ assemble will never fade for some, for others who have grown up with video games, immersive video game-based films are the clear winner.

So, are you team comic-adaptation, or team video games?