6. Warcraft (2016)
It should really go without saying that World of Warcraft is a cultural phenomenon. Rehashing the game’s success and continued relevance would be pointless, but suffice it to say that the movie adaptation, Warcraft, was highly anticipated. Directed by Duncan Jones (Moon, Mute) and featuring an all-star cast, the bar was set incredibly high for Warcraft.
Unsurprisingly, the high fantasy epic didn’t quite meet these unrealistic expectations, but it’s still an objectively good film. It’s a faithful adaptation of the source material that really delves into Azeroth’s past. This paved the way for critical moments of fan service that also served to further the overall narrative.
Despite being the highest-grossing video game movie of all time, Warcraft really lacked mass appeal. It was a film made to examine the franchise’s lore through the scope of an epic live-action/CGI hybrid blockbuster, and perhaps that ambition was its downfall. Despite the fact that some critics and audiences didn’t entirely understand Warcraft, it remains a truly excellent fantasy epic and a solid video game adaptation.