Paul W.S. Anderson, best known for directing four of the original sixResident Evilmovies, will bring another popular horror video game series to the big screen withThe House of the Dead.The House of the Deadvideo game series began in 1997, one year after the firstResident Evilgame, and the two games not only made zombie shooters a popular genre but also helped revitalize the zombie for modern audiences.The House of the Dead’s innovation of fast-moving zombies would inspire films like28 Days Laterand Zack Snyder’s remake ofDawn of the Dead.
Deadlinereports that Paul W.S. Anderson has signed on to direct the upcoming film adaptation ofThe House of the Dead. Anderson has made a name for himself by directing video game adaptations. Not only did he direct fourResident Evilmovies, but he also helmed 1995’sMortal Kombatand 2020’sMonster Hunter. He also directed the underrated sci-fi horror filmEvent Horizonas well asAlien vs. Predator.The House of the Deadgame publisher Sega will be involved in the film. Anderson told Deadline his history with the franchise and what drew him to the project:
“I’ve loved the video game since the ’90s. Back then I was a big player of video games in arcades, which is how I happened uponMortal Kombat. And pretty much at the same time, I was also playing a lot ofHouse of the Dead. It’s a title I’ve always loved. The IP has grown in strength, and now it’s really cross-generational. I was one of the original players, but now I have teenage kids who also play. That is the real attraction for me, that you’ve got a cross-generational piece of IP."
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Anderson revealed his pitch for what fans can expect fromThe House of Deadand shared some concept art for the upcoming film. Anderson said:
“We’re going to base the movie onHouse of the Deadthree, and if you know the mythology that is all about family conflict, amidst the action and scares. It’s about a woman, Lisa Rogan, who’s attempting to rescue her father. And it’s also about Daniel Curien, who’s the son of the man who caused this mutant outbreak in the first place and who has to deal with the sins of the father. My approach will be to reflect what this hyper-immersive, kinetic video game is, which is why Zack Snyder took these creatures and made them fast moving. This is a full-on terror ride. It’s different than what we did withResident Evil, where there were lots of traps and puzzles and things to be figured out.House of the Deadis at heart a light rail shooter game, so it drags you straight into the middle of the action. I’m going to make a movie that mirrors that approach and plays out in real time, dragging the audience straight into the action. It’s not going to be kind of lumbered with a whole bunch of back story that might exclude people who know nothing aboutHouse of the Dead. Everyone’s going to be on the same page. Everyone’s going to get sucked straight into the action and learn about the characters and the plot, as they have 90 minutes to basically escape the most extreme haunted house you’ve ever been in.”
Returning to The House of the Dead
Anderson’sThe House of the Deadwill be the second film adaptation of the video game series. In 2003, infamous director Uwe Boll directedHouse of the Dead; that film wasn’t based on an individual game, but instead positioned as a prequel to the series. Like all Uwe Boll movies,House of the Deadwas panned by critics and has an astonishingly low 3% on Rotten Tomatoes with an audience score of 11%. The movie generated one direct-to-video sequel,House of the Dead 2, in 2006. While Anderson’sResident Evilmovies did deviate from the video games, they still attracted their own loyal fanbase and arebetter regarded than Boll’sHouse of the Dead, so the upcoming adaptation can only be an improvement.
The House of the Deadis the latest attempt by Sega to expand its video game library into feature films. They’ve had incredible luck with theSonic the Hedgehogfilms, withSonic the Hedgehog 3looking to be one of the biggest hits of the holiday season. Sega has also been developing movies based onPersonaandShinobi. While it is unclear yet if video game adaptations will be the new superhero movie craze of the 2020s, it appears the race is on, andThe House of the Deadcould become the next big horror film franchise.
The House of the Deaddoes not yet have a release date, but is expected to enter production in 2025.
