In recent years, Sega found major success in theaters with Sonic the Hedgehog. That blue speedster is totally killing it, with three films of his own and a fourth one on the way. And while the gaming company is certainly keen to keep the Sonic love going, there’s another video game franchise that will hit the big screen. Sega is making a movie adaptation of The House of the Dead with Isabela Merced in a leading role.
According to Deadline, Paul W.S. Anderson, who brought Resident Evil to theaters with success, will be behind the scenes. There doesn’t seem to be a distributor yet but Rocket Science is on the hunt. Merced is becoming quite the name in genre content, with recent turns as Hawkgirl in Superman and Dina in The Last of Us.
For those who aren’t familiar and didn’t spend a little too much time playing The House of the Dead in arcades, here’s a brief rundown. The game was released in 1997 as a quick moving horror light gun shooter adventure and set a new standard for zombies. You clear areas and fight bosses who have names like the Magician and the Chariot, which tarot fans will recognize as Major Arcana cards. In this world, the undead creatures could run towards you, which was something different for this subgenre. It likely inspired films like 28 Days Later and World War Z.
“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,” said Anderson. “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.”
We will keep you posted on any future updates.