Gambling is a popular activity millions of enthusiasts regularly enjoy. Its popularity has made it a part of modern culture, as gambling venues featuring an immense number of games appeared in numerous movies. Whether it’s poker, roulette, blackjack, or slots, you can find all these games in dozens of Hollywood’s hits. It’s no wonder as the gambling industry is enormous, and it keeps growing. That’s why millions of people head over to Las Vegas and Macau, the global gambling industry capitals. The popularity of the industry has also shifted online. Many players enjoy playing their favorite casino games from the warmth of their homes.
This article will discuss three smashing hits that have smashed the box office and got globally popular. It’s likely that all casino enthusiasts have seen them at least once. Each of these movies is interesting in a certain way. Despite belonging to different genres, the casino theme is present in them. Without further ado, let’s start with one of the most legendary Bond movies, Casino Royale.
Casino Royale
Casino Royale is the most iconic Bond movie to date. The hype around it came from extremely high expectations due to the change of the actor. Pierce Brosnan was a great hit in this role, and finding a suitable replacement was incredibly challenging. At first, the public reacted negatively when they heard that Daniel Craig was the next in line to play the legendary character. However, things quickly turned around once the movie was out. The plot largely revolved around casinos, which is always a popular theme. To prove that he can get his license to kill, the agent must defeat a villain in a poker game in a Montenegro casino. Players who enjoy the best online slots in Canada must have seen the movie, as Bond had the chance to show off his poker expertise.
The stakes are high because the villain needs the money to fund a terrorist organization. If Bond manages to outwit him, his plan will fall through. So there’s a lot of pressure on the undercover MI6 agent. Even though the villain wins at first, Bond’s friend is there to help him stay in the game. The scene when Bond wins with straight flash has now become iconic. It successfully builds up tension, and Daniel Craig put on a fantastic performance. That’s why the movie became a huge box office success, bringing in more than 600 million globally. It was the highest revenue-generating Bond movie until SkyFall in 2012.
The audience welcomed the new actor as both IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes reviews highly praised the movie. Great reception gave an excellent foundation for the movies that came out later. Somehow, they kept getting better, repeatedly bringing the Bond franchise to the spotlight.
Hangover
It’s safe to say that Hangover is one of the best modern comedies to date. The movie quickly starts putting on smiles on its viewer’s faces with its awkward humor. Still, the movie’s plot was the perfect rollercoaster that introduced dozens of fun characters. The cast was perfect, and each actor truly brought their characters to life. The movie’s plot is a visit to Las Vegas, where four friends went for a bachelor trip to sit back and have a wild night. Things quickly go wrong, as guys find themselves in their penthouse with a tiger in their bathroom the following day. Nobody remembers anything, and their best friend is missing. So the movie is about finding their fourth crew member, Doug.
How does it relate to casinos? Well, during their quest, the guys find out that they owe a lot of money to a gangster, and to repay the money, they go to the casino to play blackjack. One of the guys from the crew is an experienced card counter, and they head to a crazy night in the casino where their friend wins enough money to pay off their debt. If you enjoyed watching the Hangover, you’d likely love several other titles with similar humor.
Ocean’s 11
If you’re into action movies that involve casinos, you have to see Ocean’s 11. The chances are that you’ve probably watched it. However, have you seen all the other movies from the series? There are four movies in the franchise, which brought in almost 1.5 billion dollars. The original trilogy was a smashing success, showing a band of thieves carefully robbing casinos. The plot quickly thickens as there are immense challenges along the way.
The latest installment came out in 2018, a spin-off from the original trilogy. If you haven’t already seen it, it’s a good idea to do so. The movies are a lot of fun, involving plenty of casino elements. One of the most impressive facts about Ocean’s 11 is the cast. The movie brought together Bradd Pitt, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Matt Damon. They over-delivered and made the movie one of the most iconic pictures from Hollywood. If you want to watch the true original, there’s an Ocean’s 11 movie from 1960. However, the modern ones are better.
Concluding Thoughts
While these three titles are top-rated, there are plenty of other casino-related movies to consider. Some of those include The Gambler, Hard Eight, Uncut Gems, Croupier, Rounders, The Card Counter, Molly’s Game, and the list goes on. If you’re a big casino fan, there are plenty of movies you can enjoy. However, make sure you want the top three from the list above. They are well worth the watch.
