Could 2026 Be The Biggest Year For Video Game Movies Ever? Yes, But I Have Reservations

It’s a good year to be a gamer and a cinephile. And, that’s because 2026 could potentially be the biggest year for video game movies ever!...Maybe.

Wait, maybe? Yeah, maybe. Because even though it looks like the planets are aligning this year when it comes to major video games and upcoming video game adaptations, I still have some reservations.

Which I wish I didn’t! As a lifelong gamer and movie-lover, I want every video game movie to be the best video game movie ever, and 2026 could be the year that makes that a reality. Or not. I’ll explain.

We Have Some Major Titles Still Coming Out This Year From Established Franchises

Now, here’s the crazy thing. We have The Super Mario Galaxy Movie coming out in April, Mortal Kombat II - after a long delay - on May 15th, the new Resident Evil reboot from Weapons director, Zach Cregger, releasing on September 18th, and Street Fighter (probably my most anticipated) due out on October 16th.

Not only that, but we ALSO have the third Angry Birds movie hitting theaters on December 23rd. So, as I insinuated in the intro, THIS IS A BIG YEAR FOR VIDEO GAME MOVIES! Which is bizarre to me, since I remember a time when we were “lucky” if we got at least one video game movie a year, and I put “lucky” in quotes because video game flicks have never had the best track record.

I mean, aside from 1995’s Mortal Kombat, I distinctly remember hating the first Super Mario Bros. movie (though I love it now), utterly detesting the deplorable Double Dragon flick, and wanting to tear my hair out at how bad Mortal Kombat Annihilation was (though, like SMB, I kind of love it now). But today? Well, video game movies and TV shows are actually kind of good, with 2023 in particular being a banner year.

I truly think 2026 could be the same. With all of these major franchises, this could be THE year for video game movies. Then again, here’s why I have reservations…

What If None Of These Upcoming Video Game Movies Are Good?

We actually started off the year with a video game movie when we got January 23rd’s Return to Silent Hill, and guess what. It SUCKED! Now, I don’t know why I had such high hopes for it, but I thought it HAD to be better than 2012’s Silent Hill: Revelation. But, no. It wasn’t. In fact, it might have actually been worse. But, that just makes me wonder if maybe these other video game movies this year might also stink. There’s nothing saying that they can’t.

For example, I loved 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, but mostly because I’m such a fan of the property. Will I love the sequel if it just does the same thing again, but bigger? I honestly don’t know. I also outrightly didn’t like 2021’s Mortal Kombat (I’ve come around on it since), but will this sequel do enough?

Same with Resident Evil. Welcome to Raccoon City was pretty bad (yet somehow one of the better Resident Evil movies), so I just wonder if we can ever get a genuinely good RE film, even from the director of Weapons.

Street Fighter? Well, even though I’M pumped for it, I’ve seen tons of negativity online, so I don’t know how that one will go. As for Angry Birds 3…well, that’ll probably be good given the series’ track record, but still! If Angry Birds 3 is the best video game movie of 2026, I’m going to be upset, because I have no connection to that series! But, back to Mario.

Plus, The Year’s Biggest Film, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Doesn’t Have The Freshness Of The Original

I don’t know if you noticed this, but besides Street Fighter, and Resident Evil, the other three video game movies coming out this year are sequels. Which is not necessarily a bad thing! Sometimes, sequels can be the best movies in a franchise, such as Terminator 2, Blade 2, and Toy Story 2.

However, as I alluded to earlier, when it comes to Mario Galaxy, I don’t envision it having the same trajectory of The Terminator to T2, at least not from the trailers I’ve seen thus far. For one thing, even though I’m happy that it’s going to feature a deep cut character like Wart, I also get a sense that this movie is going to be a lot of the same as the first one, meaning easter egg, after easter egg, after easter egg.

Now, while I’m not opposed to that, I would like a lot more than JUST that in the sequel. Yes, this movie is heading off into outer space, and yes, we’re getting Bowser Jr. and Rosalina, which could add an interesting dynamic, but will this movie have the same freshness as the original? I honestly don’t know, even though I hope it does.

In truth, even though I’m definitely going to see it with my kids, none of us seem all that excited for it, which is a far cry from the first movie in 2023. But, that’s not all that’s nagging me.

We Also Don’t Have A More Gen-Z Friendly Film Like A Minecraft Movie This Year

Honestly, besides Angry Birds, all of the video game movies coming out this year are from OLD titles. Resident Evil is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Street Fighter debuted in 1987, Mortal Kombat came out in 1992, and Mario’s 40th (!) anniversary has been ongoing since last year.

What’s my point? Well, it’s that 2026 doesn’t have any Gen-Z friendly video game movies (unless you count Angry Birds 3). You might still be thinking, so what? But, were you THERE on opening weekend for A Minecraft Movie? Because I was, and it was something else. The energy in that theater was palpable. Even though the movie was…I’m going to say just okay, the film was enhanced by the audience, which was definitely into it.

This is important. Because not only is a video game movie supposed to be entertaining. It should also be an experience. Gen-Z came out in droves for Minecraft, and that’s because it is THEIR Super Mario Bros., i.e. the title that helped shape their generation as gamers.

I feel like 2026 is missing a video game movie like that, and that’s a shame, because that enthusiasm is important when it comes to a great year in cinema. Even so…

In The End, This Year Is Huge For Video Game Movies, But We’ll See The Receipts Afterward

Honestly, I guess the most important thing in the end is the ticket receipts. 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie made over a billion dollars internationally, and if the sequel can make that crazy amount again, then I guess that would assuage some of my concerns.

I don’t foresee Mortal Kombat II, or Street Fighter outright flopping at the box office. Resident Evil could be interesting because it’s yet another reboot, and Welcome to Racoon City didn’t do well financially. That said, it does have a respectable director this time, so that helps.

And, Angry Birds 3? Well, I’m not concerned about that one. The other two movies did well financially (though, the sequel made significantly less than the first movie). But, I don’t think it’s a litmus test for whether this could be a successful year for video game movies.

So, again, I’m on the fence. What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts.