How Movies Can Provide The Inspiration For Online Slots

Source: Gladiator via Facebook

There used to be just a handful of bona fide blockbusters in a calendar year, but as franchises expand and budgets swell, there is increasing competition for movies to dominate screens. That goes beyond the cinema screen, with each Hollywood hit coming with its own extensive publicity cycle. This sees actors do the rounds on chat shows or, if they’re lucky, host Saturday Night Live as some free publicity for an upcoming piece of work.

By dominating the television and computer screens, movies can generate buzz that subsequently generates more profits in the box office. Films can also generate interest long after their release by being translated in other forms of media, most notably into the gaming world. With the decline of movies launched alongside video games, the world of online slots is perhaps the most insightful barometer of a movie’s past success and its credentials for future success.

After all, the world of slots is even more competitive and crowded than that of the movie industry. When slot machines were the preserve of land-based casinos, options were few and choices were easy. Now there is a multitude of online slot providers, each with a library of games that seems to scroll for eternity. Therefore, it is crucial that slot games stand out from the pack, particularly in order to pique specific but common interests.

Movie-based slots are among the most popular form of slot games. Whether they take images and characters directly from a movie or simply use a film as thematic inspiration, players appreciate the parallels drawn between slots and cinema. While the fundamental elements of a slot machine largely remain consistent, it is the bells and whistles that cinematic inspiration can provide that elevate a slot game to the next level.

Examples of online slots inspired by movies can be found at Betting Top 10, with their Gladiator Slots inviting players to emulate the legends of Spartacus and Maximus Decimus Meridius. The former is the legendary soldier who was the titular character in Stanley Kubrick’s 1960 film, while the latter is Russell Crowe’s man with a mission in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator. By invoking characteristics of such fierce warriors, a new dynamic is given to the slot game.

1995 film Jumanji not only inspired a slot game but also a 2017 reboot starring Dwayne Johnson. Source: Jumanji via Facebook

That particular slot draws inspiration from a genre of movie, whereas other slots take a more direct route. NetEnt are one of the heavyweights in the development of online slots, and a look at their creation reveals their reliance on using movies as inspiration. Their Jumanji video slot uses the 1995 film as its muse, an interesting creative decision considering that it could have easily ridden the wave of popularity spawned by the 2017 reboot.

While the world of online slots might not have the same level of superhero prominence as the cinema, there are still options there for those of a DC inclination. Slots based on The Dark Knight Rises and Justice League use high-quality images lifted from the films to make the slot feel like a continuation of the movie’s narrative. Fans of Marvel heroes like Spider-Man and Black Panther are not so lucky; Playtech, the creator of Marvel slots, pulled all of their superhero stock from online providers in 2017.

Given the parallels between many movie characters and gamers, with both often embarking on a quest for victory, it makes sense that movies inspire so many online slots.

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About the Author

Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.