Just when we thought the era of Paul W.S. Anderson video game adaptations was behind us, it was announced that the zombie-loving director has one more in him, with his eyes set on a film adaptation of the old-school rail-gun shooter, The House of the Dead.
According to Deadline, the Resident Evil director is hopping from Capcom’s zombie franchise to Sega’s certified arcade classic, with the very busy Superman, Alien: Romulus, and The Last of Us actress Isabela Merced as its star. The original 1997 game, which spawned multiple sequels, sees two players take on the role of government agents tasked with neutralizing swarms of zombies threatening to take over the world.
As Deadline notes, the series was a source of inspiration for Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead remake and Marc Forster’s World War Z, because of the zombies’ knack for having the zoomies. Given Anderson’s track record with Resident Evil, however, it’s safe to say his instincts are more attuned to the bonkers-fast and action-heavy flavoring of The House of the Dead than his more Resident Evil 6-feeling film saga—all things he seems appropriately geeked out about having the opportunity to show his stuff with Merced as the star.
“The House of the Dead is a game I have loved for many years, and I’m beyond thrilled to be bringing this to the big screen with such an exciting talent as Isabela at its heart,” Anderson said. “We envisage this as the start of a tentpole franchise which can explore the rich world and lore that SEGA has created over a whole series of films.”
The film is being produced by Anderson and Merced, Anderson’s longtime Resident Evil collaborator Jeremy Bolt, Sega’s Toru Nakahara (of Sonic the Hedgehog fame), and Dmitri M. Johnson, the producer of Prime Video’s upcoming Tomb Raider series. As Deadline details, The House of the Dead is “a top Sega priority,” as the company has redoubled its efforts to push its IP into other media following the box-office success of the Sonic movies. It’s a sentiment Kotaku noted from the company back in 2021, with the company seemingly realizing it’s sitting on a lot of potential for adaptations and remakes of games like Virtua Fighter, Jet Set Radio, and Crazy Taxi.
“Working with Isabela is a thrilling opportunity as she embodies the heroine character perfectly, bringing dynamic energy to the production,” Nakahara said. “We’re dedicated to crafting a visually striking and immersive experience by introducing compelling actors and terrifying creatures that will bring the House of the Dead universe to life on the big screen. With our deep understanding of video game adaptations, we’re eager to deliver an electrifying cinematic journey for the franchise’s fans.”
Granted, much of its efforts with the quietly released Yakuza Prime Video shows squeaked by without much positive fanfare from diehards. Hopefully, Sega’s efforts will catch fire (appreciative) with whatever Anderson and Merced’s directorial and acting chops can bring to the undead franchise’s movie adaptation.
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