10 Video Game Characters Stolen Straight From Hollywood

Is it me, or does Scarface appear in every major game?

Kratos American History X
Sony

Video games have always had a bit of a parasitical relationship with Hollywood. Nabbing famous tropes, faces and voices in ways that don't usually give the best account of either medium... or of the people involved.

But it's always amusing when games dive into movie fiction and straight-up pluck characters from it. Forcing us to do a double-take and wonder if that's really John Matrix/Arnie and Rambo on that 90s action game cover, or whether it's just a coincidence that so many video game villains look exactly like Tony Montana.

It seems that even though video games have proven perfectly capable of creating their own memorable characters, they can't resist paying tribute to some of the most legendary (and ludicrous) characters from the Silver Screen.

Here are 10 of the best of 'em.

10. Vincente De Santa - Tony Montana (Scarface)

Kratos American History X
Rockstar/Universal

The perverse and sadistic Mexican army general from Red Dead Redemption is one of the more memorable characters in a game that's overflowing with them. The man is singularly driven to winning the war for Mexico, and seems to relish the fact that he needs to engage in some pretty inhuman activities to do it.

In terms of looks, voice, and hunger for power, De Santa is a spitting image of Al Pacino's Tony Montana - from the permanent scowl and those dark eyes that show little regard for humanity, to the distinctly thick black mop of hair both men sport.

The visual inspiration is evident, and so is the character to the extent that they're both megalomaniacal sociopaths. But there's little dispute that Tony - for all his foul-mouthed foibles - was way braver and more badass than his RDR doppelganger.

Contributor
Contributor

Gamer, Researcher of strange things. I'm a writer-editor hybrid whose writings on video games, technology and movies can be found across the internet. I've even ventured into the realm of current affairs on occasion but, unable to face reality, have retreated into expatiating on things on screens instead.