5 Capcom Series That Could Make Fascinating Movies Like Resident Evil & Street Fighter
Developer Capcom has seen commercial success recently with live action adaptations of the Street Fighter and Resident Evil franchises, with both 2026 movies receiving acclaim in different ways. Although the critical reviews of Street Fighter (2026) aren’t nearly as high as Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil (2026), both movies manage to capture the unique atmospheres of their games. Whether it’s through specific characters or the presentation of a game’s typical progression, a new movie on another Capcom IP could perform well if it is decidedly authentic to its source material.
There could be many possibilities for a new Capcom IP turning into a movie, from an animated feature to an attempt at live action similar to the two October 2026 films. Some gaming properties have already been turned into their own content over the last few years, such as the animated Tomb Raider or Devil May Cry series on various platforms. For something to appear in theaters though, significant investment in a reliable franchise makes sense, so it’s a good thing that Capcom has plenty to choose from.
5. Ace Attorney
There are anime series adapting the Ace Attorney games, with some live action productions of the franchise as well, with the IP being one of the more underrated in Capcom’s catalog. The Ace Attorney series mostly follows Phoenix Wright, who must navigate a number of legal cases as a defense lawyer in Japan, following rules and systems to prove the innocence of various clients. However, this is just the surface level of the series, as it tackles a variety of subjects tied to the role of a lawyer in several dramatic settings.
As movies like A Few Good Men, 12 Angry Men, and To Kill a Mockingbird have taught us, a good legal drama is almost always appealing if written right. Ace Attorney games are somewhat lighter in tone than Capcom’s other works, with Phoenix Wright often getting into ridiculous scenarios with over-the-top moments in different trials. From bombastic prosecution rivals like Miles Edgeworth or Franziska von Karma to the existence of spiritual mediums like Maya Fey, the characters of Ace Attorney are often comedic rather than serious. That being said, the heaviest moments of Ace Attorney can lean on an emotional weight you don’t often expect.
Seeing the incompetent but lovable officer Dick Gumshoe act like a fool is enough reason for me to green light an Ace Attorney movies, but there are plenty of cases from the games that could make it into an interesting screenplay. Although there is a 2012 Japanese live action movie of the Ace Attorney games, the courtroom drama series could benefit from even bigger production in other forms. Memorable music drops, strong character writing, and comedic levity could turn Ace Attorney into something different from Resident Evil or Street Fighter, but just as entertaining.
4. Mega Man
The ridiculousness of a live action Mega Man movie might cause that Capcom IP to not go in a traditional direction for a movie, but its premise gives plenty of ideas for something unique. The simple design of Mega Man mimics the Sonic the Hedgehog movies, where a mascot character must defeat an arch-villain who is an expert at building complex machines to combat the main character. Dr. Wily is almost 1:1 with Dr. Robotnik from those movies, which now have a trilogy celebrated by fans of the games. Mega Man could go down a similar route, using detailed CGI to create Mega Man in somewhat familiar settings.
Alternatively, a Mega Man movie could go down the route of 2009’s Astro Boy, which has a character that inspired the Blue Bomber to begin with. That movie was fully 3D, similar to the upcoming Ray Gunn or The Incredibles. Smooth animation with a strong attention to details could make a Mega Man movie shine, as it shows the character defeating Robot Master bosses, taking their abilities, and eventually confronting Dr. Wily for a big climax. Other characters like Proto Man or Zero could appear too, with iconic music from the series showing up in a similar fashion to the animated The Super Mario Bros. Movie for an experience aimed at many audiences.
3. Dead Rising
Out of all the games under Capcom’s umbrella, Dead Rising is perhaps the one that would be the easiest to translate into a movie. This series is about a zombie outbreak, where one character must get out of a shopping mall overflowing with the living dead. This series is far more bombastic and comedic than something like Resident Evil, with over-the-top enemies acting overly insane in ridiculous moments. A far cry from something like The Walking Dead, Dead Rising has some support from Capcom that manifest in large, open-world action-adventure survival horror that could suit the tone of a movie well.
A movie based on this series could star the first game’s protagonist Frank West, who must navigate the shopping mall in search of escaping the zombies within mentioned earlier. Whatever game gets adapted, the main conflict of Dead Rising is always on the gross incompetence of the American government in regards to their misconduct related to starting the zombie outbreak. Searching for a cure needed to stop a zombie apocalypse isn’t new to movies, but the comedic tone of Dead Rising makes it far different from overly serious films in the zombie subgenre, especially ones like 28 Years Later or World War Z. If anything, this could be Capcom’s version of Shaun of the Dead, which is a constantly beloved zombie movie.
2. Devil May Cry
The stylish action of the Devil May Cry franchise is practically begging for a feature-length film, whether it’s animated like the Netflix series or in some form of live action. This series is known for exciting battle sequences, with characters like Dante, Vergil, and Nero performing superhuman feats as half-demon, half-human devil hunters. What makes a movie with these characters potentially limitless is how the plot of the Devil May Cry games matter little if the figures within it are displayed in the most action-heavy way possible.
That isn’t to say there isn’t an interesting story worth exploring in a Devil May Cry movie, with the relationship between Dante and his brother Vergil from Devil May Cry 3 being a perfect point of conflict. However, as the often criticized Devil May Cry (2008) reboot shows, you can’t get too far away from what makes the characters in this beloved Capcom property so adored. Even the Netflix series often fails to capture the appeal of the Devil May Cry story, even with incredibly animated action in many cases. Translation of Devil May Cry 3 into its own movie, animated or live action, could do a good job of showing the subtle moments of heart embedded into the devil fighting the series is known for.
However, the biggest draw of a Devil May Cry movie comes from the big-budget action that could be portrayed. Every character in this series has an arsenal of different weapons made from defeated enemies, from swords and heavy gauntlets to odd tools like a guitar that shoots lasers or two massive rocket launchers that launch enemies skyward. The sheer variety of “Devil Arm” weapons alone could be an animator’s dream for a full Devil May Cry movie, with every character having a specific skill set that shows off well in detailed, anime-inspired action cutscenes from every game.
1. Monster Hunter
There has already been a live action Monster Hunter movie, directed by Paul W.S. Anderson back in 2020. However, that movie failed to understand the basic appeal of the Capcom games it was based on — the “characters” that are the monsters themselves. The humans of a Monster Hunter game hardly matter, as the monsters are the ones with varied personalities, biology, and behaviors that make them so exciting to see. Everyone who is a fan of the games has their own favorite monster, and the spirit of that mentality was brought down into a generic, militaristic action movie with no substance six years ago.
Putting someone else in charge of a new Monster Hunter movie project could go for an animated feature-length production, or perhaps take another stab at live action. What matters most is that they actually get the monsters right this time around, making their ecological impact feel weighted in the same way that movies like Godzilla: King of the Monsters did with their kaiju characters. Films like Godzilla: Minus One prove that the human stories of a monster-driven movie can also be compelling, even in something like Monster Hunter. The story of Monster Hunter Wilds was stronger than most narratives in the series, so perhaps it could act as a template.
The huge weapons of the series would also be exciting to see in action outside the games, showing how such dominant monster creatures could be felled by much smaller humans. With the right director in charge, perhaps many fan-favorite weapons and monsters can be showcased, with hopefully no modern military trying to encroach on the series’ world. The setting of Monster Hunter itself could be the best Capcom series to translate into a movie, as long as it is completely authentic to itself without the need to make it seem “realistic” to appease everyone.
What Capcom series do you want to see become a movie? Let us know in the comments below!