Game of Thrones, Madonna, The Dark Knight Rises + Ellen DeGeneres: Movies and Celebrities That Became Slot Machines

A film is more than a work of art, while a celebrity actor is more than just a performer. To the cultural and financial behemoth that is Hollywood, a successful film and everyone involved in it is a brand. For better or for worse, the film industry excels at maximising the profitability of a movie by licensing out and franchising every aspect of it to anyone who will pay.

This is nothing new and is, in fact, a practice that has brought us some of the most beloved video games, TV spin-offs, merchandise, and book series in modern history. One phenomenon that is more recent is the rise of movie and celebrity-themed slot machine games. In the casino floors of Las Vegas and the vast realm of online casino gaming, the TV and film industry is making a killing by capitalising on the loyalty of fans who also enjoy playing slot machines.

Fans can now see their favourite characters and actors as they attempt to play for jackpots, with many of the best slot games incorporating elements from the films in the same way that franchised video games do. Here are the best and weirdest examples of movies and celebrities that became slot machines. 

Game of Thrones 
The HBO hit series Game of Thrones is one of the most expensive ever produced, with each episode costing around $10 million to make. Therefore, it is hardly surprising that HBO has exhausted every possible avenue for making their money back. While GoT merch comes in every imaginable form, the officially-licensed slot machine game is one of the most impressive products of this sprawling multimedia empire. The detailed visuals and gameplay will please fans of the show, while the title regularly tops the rankings of the best TV shows themed slots ever made, making this a worthwhile production in its own right. 

Madonna: Lucky Star 
Sometimes a celebrity is so iconic that their very name and face is enough to add value to a product. The bigwigs of Las Vegas seem to agree, which is why they paid a whopping $10 million to pop legend Madonna to slap her likeness of the Madonna: Lucky Star slot machine. The game has plenty to keep her most dedicated fans happy, featuring a soundtrack comprising of all of her greatest hits, including Material Girl, Vogue, Holiday and Like a Virgin. The 5-reel slot includes images of Madonna through all of the ages, from the 1980s Madonna era right up to the pop-art chic Celebration era.  Madonna superfans can play it for themselves at Bally's, MGM Grand, and, of course, Caesar's Palace. 

The Dark Knight Rises 
Christopher Nolan's work on the Batman franchise will go down as some of the most enduring and memorable depictions of the caped crusader in history. While there are several very admirable Batman-themed slot games, the Dark Knight Rises official slot stands out as one of the most thoughtful. Gamers can choose to play as one of several of the big-name stars in this 2012 film, including Anne Hathaway as Catwoman, Tom Hardy as Bane, and, of course, Christian Bale as Batman. The game also features a number of fight sequences in full video game style, which appears sporadically throughout the actual slot sequences, just in case you happen to get tired of spinning those reels. The orchestral score is killer, while the many quotable lines in the film are effortlessly incorporated into this very stylish slot game. 

Ellen DeGeneres: Roads to Riches 
This one deserves an honourable mention just for the sheer hilarity of creating a Vegas slot machine based on a popular daytime talk show host. The Ellen DeGeneres: Roads to Riches slot machine is available both as a physical slot in a number of Las Vegas casino and as an iOS app. The game is dominated by the likeness of DeGeneres herself, whilst also featuring appearances from a number of big-name celebrities who have appeared on her show over the years. Whilst it is unclear whether these other celebs were received anything for the part in this popular slot machine, it has been reported that DeGeneres herself was paid millions in exchange for her likeness. The above video feature Ellen surprising Vegas fans of her slot in person and is an absolute must-watch.

In the sometimes surreal world of Hollywood franchising, it can be refreshing to see products that are genuinely well thought out and enjoyable. These slot games certainly make the cut and are definitely worth a go by any fans of these iconic stars and productions.