The superhero era isn't dead, but it's clearly sharing the spotlight. Mattson Tomlin, co-writer of The Batman 2 alongside director Matt Reeves, went on record this week with a pretty telling observation: Hollywood has gone from being comic book obsessed to video game obsessed, and his own inbox is the proof.
"I am getting at least 5x more offers for video game adaptations than comic book adaptations this year," Tomlin said on social media, in a thread that started with a question about his involvement in a Mega Man movie.
For the record, Tomlin confirmed he's no longer attached to the Mega Man project. He wrote what he describes as "a fun set of drafts," another writer came on board later, and that's where his involvement ended. But the broader point he made about the industry shift is what's generating the most attention.
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The box office numbers that changed Hollywood's thinking
The data backs Tomlin up completely. The four highest-grossing video game movies of all time were all released within the last three years. The Super Mario Bros. Movie crossed $1.3 billion at the box office. Its sequel, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, cleared $1 billion. A Minecraft Movie landed just under $1 billion. Sonic the Hedgehog and Five Nights at Freddy's both performed well above expectations. Even Iron Lung, a micro-budget adaptation of a deeply niche horror game, turned heads with its returns relative to cost.
Meanwhile, the superhero side of the ledger has been rougher. Films like Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts, and Supergirl all struggled theatrically. The blockbuster tentpoles, Spider-Man, Avengers, Batman, still print money, but the era of any superhero property generating guaranteed returns is clearly over.
What the pipeline actually looks like right now
The upcoming release calendar tells you everything about where studio confidence currently sits. Zach Cregger's Resident Evil movie arrives in September. A Street Fighter film follows in October. Then 2027 opens up into something remarkable: The Angry Birds Movie 3, Sonic the Hedgehog 4, The Legend of Zelda, A Minecraft Movie Squared, and Helldivers are all scheduled for that year alone.
Look further ahead and the list keeps growing. An Elden Ring movie is currently in production. Call of Duty and Battlefield adaptations are in development. A Donkey Kong film is rumored. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Horizon Zero Dawn, Gears of War, Death Stranding, and Metal Gear Solid all have some form of adaptation in progress. Super Mario Movie 3 is expected in 2029.
Not every video game adaptation has worked, to be fair. Mortal Kombat 2 underperformed. Until Dawn and Return to Silent Hill barely registered at the box office. But those misses haven't slowed the pipeline at all, which says a lot about how much confidence studios have in the format right now.
Why this matters beyond the movies
Here's the thing: when Hollywood starts throwing five times more screenwriting offers at video game properties than comic book ones, it signals something bigger than a trend. It signals a structural shift in how intellectual property gets valued. Games have built-in audiences, established worlds, and emotional investment that studios no longer have to manufacture from scratch.
For gamers, that's a double-edged situation. More adaptations means more chances to see beloved worlds on screen, but also more chances for studios to miss what makes those games special. The Minecraft movie worked partly because it leaned into the game's identity rather than fighting it. That's a lesson not every production will take seriously.
If you're a Batman fan keeping tabs on where Tomlin's head is at while The Batman 2 is still in development, the LEGO Batman universe is keeping Gotham busy in the meantime. Check out the LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight before you buy guide for a breakdown of what that game actually delivers, and if you want to get the most out of it, the stud farming guide will save you a lot of grinding time. For broader coverage across everything releasing this year, the gaming guides hub has you covered.
