GameTimeline

Watch order

Video game movies in order

Use this page for video game movies in order—curated theatrical and streaming landmarks from Street Fighter (1994) through A Minecraft Movie (2025). Release follows US premiere dates so you can see how Hollywood treated game IP over three decades. Story splits franchise lanes (Mortal Kombat, Resident Evil, Sonic, Mario, and more) so you never treat a reboot as a sequel. Essentials covers modern hits, horror, and fighting-game films. Animated game adaptations like Castlevania sit nearby; live-action neighbors include Batman movies and binge culture cousins like Squid Game.

Updated September 2026

Pick your path:

Modern hits Horror lane Fighting lane Full release list

Where to start

Pick Modern hits for Sonic through Mario (and Minecraft if you want the newest family tentpole), Horror lane for the Resident Evil theatrical landmark, or Fighting lane for Mortal Kombat’s 1995 hit and 2021 reboot. Skip everything else until you know which IP you actually care about.

  • Family night → Modern hits path; add Detective Pikachu anytime
  • Horror only → Horror lane, then browse Resident Evil games
  • Tournament vibes → Fighting lane; deeper MK games on Mortal Kombat
  • Game timelines stay on their series pages—this hub is films only

Release order

When each curated video-game film opened in the US—from Street Fighter (1994) and Mortal Kombat (1995) through Sonic, Uncharted, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and A Minecraft Movie (2025). This hub lists landmark theatrical titles, not every obscure adaptation or straight-to-video spin-off.

  • Modern first watch → Sonic (2020) then Mario (2023); add Minecraft (2025) for the newest family hit
  • Fighting nostalgia → Mortal Kombat 1995, then the 2021 reboot—Street Fighter 1994 is optional camp
  • Horror curiosity → Resident Evil (2002) as the theatrical landmark; full film slate is a separate deep dive
  • Full curated history → Release tab top to bottom (skip any lane that is not your taste)
Story order tips

Separate franchise lanes, not one shared Hollywood universe: fighting-game films (Street Fighter / Mortal Kombat), Resident Evil’s Anderson-era opener, Tomb Raider’s 2001 Angelina Croft, Warcraft, Detective Pikachu, Sonic, Uncharted, Mario, and Minecraft. Use Story when you want a clean IP binge; never chain a reboot onto an older cast continuity.

  • Mortal Kombat lane → 1995 theatrical → 2021 reboot (hard reset, not a sequel)
  • Sonic / Mario / Minecraft → each standalone family IP—watch in any order across lanes
  • Resident Evil film lane → 2002 opener only here; Anderson sequels and Netflix belong elsewhere
  • Tomb Raider / Uncharted / Warcraft → one landmark each—game order lives on those series pages

Timeline

0/11 watched

When each season premiered in the US. Expand a row for dates and where it fits in your watch order.

Release order

  1. Street Fighter

    Street Fighter

    TheatricalStreamingFightingLive-actionClassic

    Street Fighter (1994) stars Jean-Claude Van Damme as Guile opposite Raul Julia’s final-role Bison—campy dialogue, World Warrior branding, and the film that proved fighting-game IP could fill multiplexes even when critics shrugged.

    Overview
    Van Damme martial spectacle plus over-the-top villain monologues made Capcom’s roster feel like a Saturday-morning comic book. It is historically important as an early wide theatrical game adaptation, even when later taste treats it as so-bad-it’s-good.
    Related games
    Opens the fighting-game film conversation on this hub—not connected to Mortal Kombat’s later reboot. Treat as a standalone 90s curiosity; game play order stays on Street Fighter if you care about the arcade timeline.
    Where it fits
    Optional camp. Watch for franchise history or meme literacy; skip on a modern-hits binge. Fighting Essentials prefers Mortal Kombat landmarks unless you specifically want Van Damme Guile.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release December 23, 1994 (Universal / Capcom).
  2. Mortal Kombat

    Mortal Kombat

    TheatricalStreamingFightingLive-actionClassic

    Mortal Kombat (1995) turns Midway’s fatal tournament into a surprisingly coherent adventure film—Liu Kang, Sonya, Johnny Cage, and that earworm techno theme. For many fans it remains the high-water mark of 90s game-to-film adaptation craft.

    Overview
    Tournament structure, practical fight staging, and a soundtrack that outlived the box office made MK feel like a real summer movie rather than a commercial. It still defines “fighting-game movie done right” for a generation of players.
    Related games
    Starts the Mortal Kombat theatrical lane before the 2021 soft reboot. Annihilation (1997) is FAQ-skip territory—not listed as a required landmark here. Games deep dive: Mortal Kombat.
    Where it fits
    Essential on the Fighting Essentials path and a strong Release-tab classic. Watch before the 2021 film if you want both eras; the reboot does not continue this cast’s continuity.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release August 18, 1995 (New Line Cinema).
  3. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

    Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

    TheatricalStreamingAdventureLive-actionClassic

    Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) casts Angelina Jolie as the dual-pistol adventurer in a globe-trotting puzzle-action spectacle. It cemented Lara as a mainstream movie icon even when plot details drifted from Core Design’s PlayStation originals.

    Overview
    Jolie’s physical performance and fashion-icon Lara made the character bankable beyond games. The film leans action-heist more than survival archaeology, but it proved a female game lead could headline a tentpole.
    Related games
    Standalone Tomb Raider film landmark on this hub—sequel Cradle of Life (2003) and later Alicia Vikander reboot are FAQ-optional. Game chronology lives on Tomb Raider.
    Where it fits
    Watch anytime as a 2000s adventure time capsule. Not required before Uncharted or Mario; include if you want the classic Croft Hollywood image.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release June 15, 2001 (Paramount / Mutual).
  4. Resident Evil

    Resident Evil

    TheatricalStreamingHorrorLive-actionClassic

    Paul W.S. Anderson’s Resident Evil (2002) drops Milla Jovovich’s Alice into Umbrella’s underground Hive—T-virus zombies, corporate conspiracy, and a film continuity that diverges hard from Capcom’s mansion story.

    Overview
    Industrial horror aesthetics and Alice-as-protagonist reinvented Umbrella for multiplex crowds. It launched a six-film Anderson saga and still anchors “video game horror movie” in search culture.
    Related games
    Horror-lane opener on Story. Anderson sequels, Welcome to Raccoon City, Netflix, and CGI films are covered on dedicated RE media pages—not every entry belongs on this curated hub. Games: Resident Evil.
    Where it fits
    Essential for the Horror Essentials path. One film is enough to sample the theatrical RE tone; binge the full Anderson arc only if you want that separate Alice universe.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release March 15, 2002 (Screen Gems / Constantin).
  5. Warcraft

    Warcraft

    TheatricalStreamingFantasyLive-actionClassic

    Warcraft (2016) adapts Blizzard’s orc-invasion mythos with heavy CGI orcs, Lothar’s Alliance defense, and a tone pitched between epic fantasy and game lore dump. Mixed Western reviews, huge China box office—still the landmark Azeroth film.

    Overview
    Motion-capture orcs and dual-perspective storytelling tried to honor both Alliance and Horde. It remains the only major theatrical Warcraft feature as of 2026, so the “movie” conversation starts and largely ends here.
    Related games
    Standalone Azeroth film lane. Game and expansion order belong on Warcraft—this entry does not teach raid tiers or RTS campaigns.
    Where it fits
    Optional fantasy curiosity. Watch if you love Azeroth spectacle; skip on modern family-hit or fighting-only paths. Not a prerequisite for any other film on this hub.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release June 10, 2016 (Universal / Legendary).
  6. Pokémon Detective Pikachu

    Pokémon Detective Pikachu

    TheatricalStreamingFamilyLive-actionClassic

    Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019) pairs Ryan Reynolds’ wry vocal Pikachu with live-action Ryme City—creature cameos, noir-lite mystery, and the first major theatrical Pokémon film aimed at Western multiplexes beyond anime imports.

    Overview
    Photoreal Pokémon in a human city proved creature nostalgia could sell without a pure anime aesthetic. It sits beside Sonic and Mario as proof that game mascots thrived again in the late 2010s–2020s.
    Related games
    Standalone Pokémon film landmark—anime movie continuity is separate. Game series order lives on Pokémon. Story tab places it in its own family-IP lane.
    Where it fits
    Great add-on to Modern hits if kids want Pokémon. Fully optional for fighting or horror paths; zero continuity ties to Sonic or Mario.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release May 10, 2019 (Warner Bros. / Legendary / The Pokémon Company).
  7. Sonic the Hedgehog

    Sonic the Hedgehog

    TheatricalStreamingFamilyLive-actionClassic

    Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) relaunches Sega’s mascot with Jim Carrey’s Robotnik, a redesigned Sonic after fan backlash, and a buddy-comedy tone that finally made Western Sonic cinema work. It opens the modern family game-movie boom on this hub.

    Overview
    Post-redesign Sonic, car-chase comedy, and sincere friendship beats flipped the “game movies always flop” narrative. Sequels followed; this first film is the required modern Sonic landmark.
    Related games
    Starts the Sonic theatrical lane. Later sequels are FAQ territory—this curated Release list keeps the 2020 opener as the essential entry. Games: Sonic.
    Where it fits
    First stop on the Modern hits Essentials path. Watch before Mario if you want chronological modern mascot hits; either order works for pure fun.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release February 14, 2020 (Paramount / Sega).
  8. Mortal Kombat

    Mortal Kombat

    TheatricalStreamingFightingLive-actionReboot

    Mortal Kombat (2021) soft-reboots the tournament with R-rated gore, Cole Young as a new audience surrogate, and classic fighters woven into a bloodier tone than 1995. Day-and-date HBO Max + theaters made it a pandemic-era landmark.

    Overview
    Harder violence, video-game fatalities energy, and a shared-roster setup aimed at long-time players. It does not continue the 1995 cast’s story—treat it as a fresh Outworld conflict.
    Related games
    Second Mortal Kombat Story-lane entry after 1995. Fighting Essentials includes both eras; skip 1995 only if you want pure modern reboot tone. Games remain on Mortal Kombat.
    Where it fits
    Required for Fighting lane completion after or instead of 1995. Not needed on Modern hits or Horror paths.
    Premiere dates
    US release April 23, 2021 (theatrical + HBO Max day-and-date; New Line / Warner Bros.).
  9. Uncharted

    Uncharted

    TheatricalStreamingAdventureLive-actionClassic

    Uncharted (2022) casts Tom Holland as a younger Nathan Drake opposite Mark Wahlberg’s Sully—treasure-hunt set pieces, heist humor, and a Hollywood origin vibe rather than a strict Uncharted 1–4 game remake.

    Overview
    Holland’s star power and globe-trotting stunts sold Drake to multiplex audiences who never touched a DualShock. Continuity is film-first; do not expect game chapter order.
    Related games
    Standalone Drake film landmark. Full game chronology: Uncharted. Optional companion on Modern hits if you want adventure between Sonic and Mario.
    Where it fits
    Fun if you like Holland or Drake vibes; skip-safe on fighting/horror paths. Not a prequel requirement for any other title here.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release February 18, 2022 (Sony / PlayStation Productions).
  10. The Super Mario Bros. Movie

    The Super Mario Bros. Movie

    TheatricalStreamingFamilyAnimatedClassic

    The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023) is Illumination’s colorful jump through the Mushroom Kingdom—Chris Pratt’s Mario, Jack Black’s Bowser, and a soundtrack packed with theme-park energy. It became one of the biggest game adaptations ever.

    Overview
    Bright animation, game-accurate set pieces, and meme-ready Bowser singing proved Nintendo IP could dominate global box office without dark “gritty reboot” framing. Instant modern-hits cornerstone.
    Related games
    Mario film lane endpoint on this curated list (1993 live-action is FAQ trivia). Game timelines: Mario. Pair with Sonic on Modern hits—separate IPs, same family-night energy.
    Where it fits
    Essential Modern hits stop after Sonic. Highest-confidence recommendation for mixed-age audiences in 2026.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release April 5, 2023 (Universal / Illumination / Nintendo).
  11. A Minecraft Movie

    A Minecraft Movie

    TheatricalStreamingFamilyLive-actionClassic

    A Minecraft Movie (2025) drops live-action heroes into blocky Overworld chaos with Jack Black’s Steve and a craft-and-survive comedy tone. It is the newest landmark on this hub and a box-office phenomenon for Mojang’s sandbox IP.

    Overview
    Live-action-meets-voxel humor and meme culture showed Minecraft could work as a theatrical event, not only a YouTube genre. Sequels are announced—this page lists the released 2025 film only.
    Related games
    Standalone Minecraft film lane. Optional Modern hits closer after Mario. No lore bridge to Sonic or Pokémon films.
    Where it fits
    Add if you want the latest family tentpole; skip if you only came for fighting or horror. Safe anytime after you know basic Minecraft icons.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release April 4, 2025 (Warner Bros. / Legendary); later streaming on Max.

FAQ

Which lane to start, skip flop eras?, MK remakes, RE film canons, Sonic sequels, Mario vs Minecraft, and game-page neighbors.

Watch order

Most newcomers: Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) then The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)—add A Minecraft Movie (2025) for the newest family hit.

Fighting fans: Mortal Kombat (1995) and/or the 2021 reboot.

Horror: Resident Evil (2002) as the theatrical sample. Games neighbors: Mortal Kombat, Sonic, Resident Evil.

Franchise lanes

No. The 2021 film is a soft reboot with new casting and an R-rated tone. Story tab lists both as MK lane landmarks, but you can watch 2021 alone. Annihilation (1997) is widely skipped and not required on this curated hub.

No. Anderson’s Alice films are their own universe. Capcom game order lives on Resident Evil. Full film and TV branches (Anderson sequels, Welcome to Raccoon City, Netflix, CGI) are deeper media pages—this hub only keeps the 2002 theatrical landmark.

Optional & skips

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.