For years, video game adaptations were the punchline of Hollywood’s long-running struggle to crack a lucrative market. From the Bob Hoskins-fronted Super Mario Bros. to Assassin’s Creed, studios churned out awkward, tone-deaf, and often downright bizarre interpretations of popular games.

But something has shifted. Video game movies are no longer an embarrassment for studios. They’re being taken seriously, and they’re definitely making money. The danger now is that Hollywood takes the wrong lesson from these recent successes, focusing on branding rather than looking at gaming as a source for fresh stories, impactful characters, and new worlds.

Part of the problem stems from a broader creative drought in the entertainment industry, at least at the top end of the market. Yes, there are many brilliant indie films still arriving in cinemas each week, but the focus on “IP” above all else is blighting Hollywood. Gaming worlds do represent a return to familiar IP, but at least they give a chance to explore something fresh rather than the next iteration of Marvel or the reboot of another 80s classic.

The depth of the storyline and character is clearly key. There are millions of games out there, ranging from casual games like Jokers Jewels to fleshed-out premium games like G-d of War. Gaming is often viewed as a superficial source for storytelling, but that is a myth that has largely been dispelled in recent years. Some games that would offer a platform for interesting movies include:

Red Dead Redemption (Rockstar Games)

A cinematic Western with a tragic antihero (John Marston), filled with moral dilemmas and themes of redemption. There are shades of Sergio Leone’s spaghetti Westerns in the plot, but there are also modern themes and motifs. In the right hands, this RDR game series could provide a stunning addition to the Western Genre.

Disco Elysium (ZA/UM)

Arguably proof that video game storylines can have as much depth as a book, Disco Elysium is a surreal, dialogue-heavy detective story full of existentialism, politics, and psychological drama. It’s heavy on inner monologue, so it might require a touch of Fight Club-style narration to pull it off.

Firewatch (Campo Santo)

One of the most beautiful introspective games ever made, Firewatch is an adventure game based in the Wyoming wilderness. The only link to the civilized world is a companion on the other end of a hand-held radio. You could picture it as The Martian-type vehicle, focusing on a lone character.

Bioshock Infinite (Irrational Games)

A Bioshock adaptation has been rumored — but Infinite specifically has a distinct narrative worth exploring. Its depth in exploring moral choices and how they impact our identity, as well as the concept of fate, would make for a hugely interesting, introspective movie.

The point of highlighting the above is that the focus would be on storytelling, not just IP. Yes, games like Red Dead Redemption are blockbusters, so they might seem unimaginative, but they are just as valid as using a book for source material. Yet, the important part is that good stories work without needing to be based on well-known IPs. There will always be a market for cash grabs like The Minecraft Movie or Super Mario Bros., regardless of whether they are well-received or not, but there is a rich, untapped world out there in video games ready to hit the big screen, and it could give Hollywood a jolt if the movie-makers focus on the great stories behind these games and not the marketing aesthetics.