Resident Evil director Paul W.S. Anderson has been tapped to helm another horror video game adaptation: Sega's The House of The Dead. We had previously heard that the filmmaker was attached to the potential project, which is now moving forward with a lead actor on board.
According to Deadline, Isabela Merced (Superman, The Last of Us, Alien: Romulus) is set to star in the movie, though there are no details on her character.
In addition to directing and writing, Anderson will produce alongside his Resident Evil partner Jeremy Bolt, Sega’s Toru Nakahara (Sonic the Hedgehog) and Story Kitchen’s Dmitri M. Johnson (Tomb Raider TV series), Michael Lawrence Goldberg and Timothy I. Stevenson. Merced is also on board as an executive producer.
Anderson said: “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. 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.”
Nakahara added: “Working with Isabela is a thrilling opportunity as she embodies the heroine character perfectly, bringing dynamic energy to the production. 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.”
Story Kitchen commented: “We’re thrilled to bring together Isabela, Paul, Jeremy and SEGA, alongside our partners at Rocket Science and CAA Media Finance. It’s a powerhouse group coming together for a truly iconic property.”
AMS agents Thomas Rogan and G are sent on an assignment on December 18, 1998, to investigate a panicked phone call from Rogan's fiancée, Sophie Richards, and a series of disappearances at the Curien Mansion, home and laboratory of Dr. Curien, a biochemist and geneticist. Curien was obsessed with discovering the very nature of life and death, backed by the DBR Corporation and its scientists. The nature of the experiments, however, drove Dr. Curien insane, resulting in him releasing his experimental subjects into the world. Once they get there, a mortally wounded man gives them a small book showing all the bosses and their weak point. They use it every time they confront a boss.
Amidst the chaos wrought by Curien, Rogan and "G" face many formidable foes, including The Chariot, an undead warrior who knocks Sophie aside with his bardiche, The Hanged Man, a gargoyle-like creature with bat wings, ears and bandaged legs that takes Sophie back into the mansion at the start and killed two men in the courtyard, and The Hermit, a six-legged spider crab-like creature that spits balls of webbing, and the Magician, a demon monster that can fly and throw fire balls.