With both Detective Pikachu and Sonic The Hedgehog recently proving that done right, an appetite surely does exist for cinematic video game adaptations, one can’t help but wonder what other famed franchises could be next to make the jump from consoles to the big screen. We know, of course, that reboots of Mortal Kombat and Resident Evil are in the pipeline to release in the not so distant future, but there’s a distinct lack of high fantasy in that ever-growing list.
After all, the monumental success enjoyed by shows such as Game of Thrones and The Witcher has proven time and again that stories told within a glamorized medieval framework have an audience, and what better ambassador for the genre in gaming is there than The Elder Scrolls? Bethesda’s critically acclaimed series has been kicking about since the late 90s but only truly gained widespread recognition with 2006’s Oblivion.
The fourth mainline installment was followed in 2011 with Skyrim and, well, the rest is history, so to speak. The RPG, which casts players as the legendary Dovahkiin, boasts all the hallmarks – magic, dragons, mystical beings of immense power – one would expect to see of such a tall tale, but alas, we’ve yet to see such an adventure take shape on the big screen. Not officially, at least. Thankfully, YouTube channel Smasher has seen fit to put together its own fan-made trailer for a Skyrim movie and it looks sublime. You can check out the clip, which features Chris Hemsworth doing his best not to get roasted by a dragon, for yourselves above.
Having caused a number of widespread controversies with its latest major release, Fallout 76, many Bethesda fans are hoping the beleaguered studio will manage something of a return to form with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim‘s upcoming sequel, which still remains without a release date. With any luck, we’ll learn more on that front at this year’s E3.
