4 movies like The Super Mario Bros Movie to watch right now

Detective Pikachu and Silent Hill poster
Detective Pikachu and Silent Hill Poster (Image via Warner Bros. Pictures and Focus Features)

The Super Mario Bros Movie was released on April 1, 2023, much to the delight of fans who were waiting for the movie for quite some time From critics to the audience, The Super Mario Bros Movie has everyone singing its praises. With names like Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Pratt, and Jack Black, The Super Mario Bros Movie has raised the bar for video game adaptations.

The plot of The Super Mario Bros Movie deals with Mario and Luigi in Brooklyn. The brothers get sucked into a mysterious manhole that transports them to another world. It follows Mario's adventure with Princess Peach to defeat the evil browser of the Dark Lands as they save the day. Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, the film was released on April 5, 2023, and is currently running in theaters across the US.


4 movies like The Super Mario Bros Movie that might satisfy an ardent gamer

While the film has been released and fans have seen it, some are left craving for more films that are based on video games. There has been a multitude of such films that are made, but there are some that have stayed in fans' hearts over the years, making them their favorites to watch and rewatch.


1) Silent Hill (2006)

Like The Super Mario Bros Movie, It is impossible to list iconic video game movies without mentioning 2006's masterpiece Silent Hill . Based on 1999's survival horror video game of the same name, the story follows a mother who goes to a mysterious town in New England to look for her lost daughter.

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Director Christophe Gems explained in an interview how important the games were to him. He was a huge fan and studied the game for years. It took him five years to gain the rights to the movie.

Gems said that he also made a few changes, like swapping the gender of the parent. The change was made as the director believed the journey to rescue the child would connect more with viewers if they saw it from the mother's point of view.

The visuals are stunning, especially when the mother, Rose, enters Silent Hill. Fans see a desolate town shrouded in dense fog as ashes fall from the sky like raindrops. The scenes of creepy nurses moving is absolutely spine-chilling, and they have attained this effect by hiring real-life contortionists.

The movie, which does spook viewers, has the potential to make it to the top of the bucket list just like The Super Mario Bros Movie.


2) Resident Evil (2002)

Based on a survival horror game about the zombie apocalypse, Resident Evil, is one of the most legendary horror/action flicks based on a video game. The picture of Milla Jovovich holding a machine gun in a red slit dress is one of the most iconic movie stills of all time.

The story follows a genetic research facility called Hive, where they are developing a genetically engineered virus called the T-virus. A thief breaks in and contaminates the Hive with the virus. The artificial intelligence running the Hive shuts it down in response, and the organization sends people to kill everyone. Chaos ensues, and the movie only unravels from this point.

Resident Evil has all the ingredients needed for a successful horror/action survival movie. Genetic research, man vs. artificial intelligence, lots of action, suspense, and drama make it one of the most entertaining watches of all time.

Many came out after this, but fans dubbed this one as the superior one. Fans of The Super Mario Bros Movie will enjoy this as it is also packed with the adrenaline rush. This is a must-have on a gamer's watchlist.


3) Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019)

The Pokemon franchise has had huge success and is still one of the most iconic characters of all time. The frenzy that Pokemon was is quite evident from how popular the game Pokemon Go had become.

Like Super Mario Bros Movie, Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019) is relatively the most light-hearted one on this entire list. So, if fans of the Super Mario Bros Movie and Pokemon franchise are in for a treat.

The plot trails the adventures of former Pokemon trainer Tim, who is estranged from his police officer father (Harry) and is informed that his father is dead. However, Pikachu, a titular Pokemon who was Tim's father's partner believes he is alive. This movie traces the adventures of Tim and Pikachu in search of Harry and how they surpass the obstacles.

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The movie is based on a spin-off game from the franchise called Detective Pikachu, which saw massive success as well. Add to it, names like Ryan Reynolds, Rita Ora, and Suki Waterhouse, and the film is set to be a powerhouse film.

With stunning CGI, great voiceover, and a well-executed story, fans claim that this movie walked so The Super Mario Bros Movie could run.


4) Doom (2005)

Based on Doom (1993), the first-person shooter (FPS) horror game, this film makes it to every list of video game-based films. It has been a pioneer in popularizing the genre and one of the reasons why Hollywood has movies like The Super Mario Bros Movie in 2023.

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Set in the future, the story follows researchers on Mars who are there to investigate uncanny events and are attacked by forces that are beyond their understanding. It is a brutal journey of survival.

Dwayne Johnson, Karl Urban, and Rosamund Pike did an exceptional job bringing the action to life. The movie even ambitiously attempted a first-person shooting scene that was so well done that it reigned in the hearts of the audience.

Needless to say, fans of Super Mario Bros Movie will have a field day with this one.


The movies mentioned in the articles were brave attempts by directors to translate video games into movies. Since these movies worked, fans can now enjoy movies like Super Mario Bros Movie where Hollywood can even take a slightly experimental turn even.

As mentioned earlier, The Super Mario Bros Movie is currently running in theaters across the US.

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Edited by Madhur Dave
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