Video game adaptations improve as HBO’s “The Last of Us” series and the “Super Mario Bros.” movie find success, but will the upcoming “Duke Nukem” film follow suit?

Legendary Entertainment taps “Cobra Kai” creators for the “Duke Nukem” film, but a humorous approach may not resonate with fans of the original game.

Emulating “Deadpool” is a mistake; “Duke Nukem” should focus on the creepy atmospheric qualities of 1996’s “Duke Nukem 3D,” learning from “Evil Dead.”

The "Duke Nukem" movie should aspire to the sci-fi, action, and horror inspirations found in the game, such as “The Terminator” and “Alien.”

Emphasizing nightmarish concepts over comedy, like the “Evil Dead” franchise, would suit the “Duke Nukem” movie better, allowing for a darker tone.

The games’ inherently creepy elements, like grotesque Pig Cops and gritty levels, provide the potential for an action-horror movie adaptation.

A “Duke Nukem” movie should embrace the darker, demented qualities of the games, but it risks becoming a forgettable action comedy instead.