Zoom parties have become a great way for people to stay connected amongst the damage being wrought by COVID-19. They’ve also spawned epic drinking games allowing you to put the Beer Pong and King’s Cup away for a bit to focus on making movie night a little extra exciting – without turning it into a solo binge drinking cringefest.
Crafting a series of movie drinking game rules for your character of choice means you can develop a game with friends over time or wander off into origin stories and one-off films. The Internet and social media have devised ways to adapt the most popular drinking and party games for use on Zoom, in Hangouts, or via other remote methods; and you can adapt some of your favorite games for social distancing measures as well.
Pick a movie with friends or family, set a timetable of events, plan or randomly assign characters and themes, and get a roster of participants together that want to get involved but don’t want to get so drunk they can’t remember the game. Check out this simple collection of best movie drinking games ideas, most of which use Oshie pencil topper characters or kick-ass figurines you can buy online to represent each person’s character.
These dudes can be subbed out with other figures or pictures of the major characters or items in popular film and TV shows (you can make a great game from Star Wars to the Big Lebowski), and they can be adapted easily for simple or more difficult versions of gameplay.
Best Movie Drinking Games for Zoom Parties and Social Distancing
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1. DC and Marvel Drinking Game Plans
Superhero studios are the go to for any keen drinking game player, be it with a large group or watching a movie together remotely. There are heaps of main character options, villains, and films to choose from.
You can keep characters right through arcs of the franchise, go with your favorite movie/character and behavior for each individual film, or get one randomly in a package you open just before start time.
There are a variety of themed games and drinking rules you can work within a small space, and the tasks characters perform can be brought to life with your figurines, some outlandish flip cup punishments, or beer side challenges.
Play dirty by having the referee enact the “Every time Chadwick Boseman does something awesome you have to drink a shot” rule for when things need spicing up or do a few spins on the personal Guardians of the Galaxy Awesome Mix Vol 1 cassettes if you’re looking to go way back in time
2. TMNT
As a parent of small boys, there are whole genres of entertainment you will see more times than you can count, whether you like them or not. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is one of them in my household, just in front of Star Wars and Transformers. My Frozen days of reckoning are coming.
Again, there’s plenty of options in the theme between movie or animated series and main character or bad guy. The fast-moving adventure style of the movies and shows are enjoyable for film lovers playing games with despotic drinkers.
I grew up with the original Ninja Turtles on television, so let’s pop this VHS cassette tape in and get to work knocking back a few shots every time Michelangelo yells “Cowabunga!”
3. The Fast and the Furious
There are a dozen movies, a room full of legendary characters, and a kickass animated kids show’s worth of material to choose from with this franchise, which means it’s perfect to get creative in your drinking game. Drink every time;
- Paul Walker mentions he’s a cop
- Letty Ortiz scowls
- Whenever Bow Wow shows up
- The Rock does Rock things
- Vin Diesel talks about family
- Ludacris gives Tyrese sh*t
- Jason Statham beats someone up
- Legendary That Guy Lucas Black appears
Sometimes you have to just live life a quarter of a mile at a time.
4. Any Horror Movie Drinking Game
Look, if you’re a fan of genuine frights, slasher flicks, and gore, you can create a drinking game versatile enough for almost any scary movie, from Leprechaun to Halloween and Saw.
All you need to create a horror movie drinking game to fit for Netflix is include the hero and the bad guy, a sprinkling of tropes and stereotypes (every time someone goes upstairs you drink, every time someone has sex then dies you drink), common plot points, and then add what you like. A few drinks in and everybody thinks they’re M. Knight Shyamalan, analyzing slow-motion and shower scene footage.
5. A Harry Potter Drinking Game
The associated hocus pocus of Harry Potter and the collection of characters available from JK Rowling’s Wizarding world creates opportunities for large scale single events and parties, or more intimate complex drinking games.
The whole world works to improve a standard Harry Potter Drinking Game through challenges and tests, weird character behavior, or costume and merchandise linked to the game and characters.
You can also do crossover stuff based on the main character’s other movies, a Christmas drinking game, or even one dedicated to Alan Rickman.
6. Hallmark Movies and Hallmark Christmas Movie drinking games
Without Hallmark Movies there wouldn’t be people on the internet teaching you about games to play while drinking.
Most games are conjured after a significant other is forced to plan out a drinking game while watching one of those cliche Hallmark Christmas movie marathons instead of going crazy.
While you won’t be scheming up a 30-page list from individual characters to play every time you have a movie night, it will be a short matter of assigning behavior fines based on overly saccharine storylines, terrible acting, and recognizing actors from shows that you liked a whole lot better.
Instead of the Hallmark Christmas movie of uplifting canned laughter, overbearing happiness, characters with the depth of a spoon, and people who used to be famous, we can now get to do a little binge drinking during The Sweetest Christmas and shout every time Lacy Chabert appears on the screen, or count the times people say “holiday spirit” in the movie.
7. Jurassic Park
This Jeff Goldblum pillow is the reason why incorporating merch into a drinking game makes them so much more fun.
You’ve got to represent the dinos baby (and cater to those who can’t handle horror). Any of the Jurassic Park movies are ripe to use in a drinking game, and they roll along at the blockbuster pace that can get the game going (or end it in a hurry).
Also, making people do random dinosaur impressions while on a zoom screen holding a jazzy Jeff Goldblum is heaps of fun whether you’re consuming alcohol or not!
Playing International Rules
I have played far too many drinking games, but I’ve never had a bad time when people know some basic, established drinking rules.
I play under the following set of base rules:
- No pointing
- No given or chosen names
- No swearing
- Never say mine
You can have more points or less, but a base set of rules underlying all of your different games means more people are familiar with the general points and you can get creative with the movie actions and dialogue.
New players can understand a fair amount without needing everything to be explained. They can just change for game type, assigned roles, and play without worrying about how drunk you get.
Tips for the best movie drinking game experience
- Keep it simple. Assign characters and players early, start a chat group, and get sledging. Stick to actions, recurring character or plot themes, and famous lines
- Always make someone be a pirate, whether you are watching horror films or an Adam Sandler classic
- Agree on the film, characters, and basic rules before play
- Choose one player or non-participating friend to act as host
- Everyone should drink out of the same sized container, no matter what they are drinking
- One person to act as a referee (can be the host but not necessary). The referee controls the zoom meeting, general drinking, behavior-related infringements, and role-related tasks
- The referee can administer game fines, behavior fines, judgments, and water as necessary
- It’s also better if the referee remains “independent,” but really enjoys roasting people or being bribed
- Familiarity is the key to having a good time, so make sure people want to come back to the game
- Change up your movies list and match it with the liquor you’re drinking. Put effort into the games
- Always have water handy and drink responsibly
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