Paul W.S. Anderson est en train d’écrire et de diriger un film en prise de vue réelle basé sur la série « House of the Dead » de Sega. Anderson, qui a une riche expérience dans l’adaptation de jeux vidéo, s’inspirera du troisième volet de la franchise. Le film se concentrera sur Lisa Rogan, qui tente de sauver son père, et Daniel Curien, dont le père est à l’origine de l’épidémie de mutants. La production devrait commencer d’ici la fin de 2025.
Paul W.S. Anderson is set to write and direct a live-action adaptation of Sega’s popular franchise, as reported by Deadline.
Anderson, a British filmmaker, has a rich history in creating movies inspired by video games. He helmed the first film in the series during the 1990s before shifting his focus to the Resident Evil franchise, which starred his wife, Milla Jovovich, and ran from 2002 to 2016. Jovovich is also part of Anderson’s project from 2020.
In an interview with Deadline, Anderson expressed his long-standing affection for the franchise:
“I’ve been a fan of the video game since the ’90s. I was heavily into arcade gaming back then, which led me to discover Mortal Kombat and around the same time, I played a lot of House of the Dead. It’s a franchise I deeply admire. Its appeal has widened and is now enjoyed across generations. I was among the early players, and now my teenage kids are fans too, which makes it all the more appealing for me—it’s truly a cross-generational IP.”
Anderson revealed that the film will be inspired by the third installment of House of the Dead. “If you’re familiar with the mythology, it revolves around family conflicts set against a backdrop of action and horror,” he explained. “The story follows Lisa Rogan, who is trying to rescue her father, alongside Daniel Curien, the son of the man responsible for the mutant outbreak, grappling with the legacy of his father’s actions.”
Describing his vision for the film, Anderson emphasized a commitment to delivering a thrilling ride. He stated:
“I aim to create a film that mirrors the game’s gameplay style, unfolding in real-time to draw the audience straight into the action. It won’t be bogged down with excessive backstory that might alienate newcomers. Everyone will be on the same page, fully immersed in the experience as they navigate through a terrifying, immersive scenario.”
Producer Jeremy Bolt, who has collaborated with Anderson on numerous video game adaptations, highlighted a distinguishing feature of the creatures in this series:
“The original game director, Takashi Oda, was careful to describe them not as zombies but as creatures. Unlike Resident Evil, which was clearly influenced by classic zombie films, House of the Dead features advanced mutations—think formidable beings with chainsaws attached to their limbs. The visual style is deeply rooted in Japanese design, reminiscent of manga and films like Tetsuo: The Iron Man, where technology is intertwined with mutated flesh. These creatures possess a higher intelligence, making them more cunning and strategic than your average zombie; they attack from all angles, aiming to outsmart their prey.”
Anderson is producing the film alongside Bolt, Toru Nakahara from Sega, Dmitri M. Johnson, Mike Goldberg from Story Kitchen, and former games journalist Dan Jevons. Timothy I. Stevenson will serve as the executive producer.
Nakahara shared insights on Sega’s initial hesitance regarding Hollywood collaborations, saying:
“Sega was somewhat doubtful about engaging with large Hollywood projects, worried that they might take advantage of us. However, I managed to turn that around, and after our partnership with Paramount for Sonic, our approach to transmedia has evolved significantly. We’re now actively pursuing several projects to broaden the Sega brand. Paul and Jeremy are icons in the realm of horror films, and Dmitri at Story Kitchen brings invaluable insight into video game adaptations. We’re excited to add an intriguing zombie film into the Sega lineup.”
Filming is expected to commence in mid to late 2025.
This isn’t the first cinematic endeavor for House of the Dead. In 2003, German director Uwe Boll attempted to adapt the franchise, working with a modest budget of $12 million, but the film was met with poor critical and commercial reception. A sequel followed in 2006 but bypassed theatrical release altogether. Mark A. Altman, the writer of the earlier films, had plans for a third installment, which ultimately evolved into an unrelated zombie feature starring Dean Cain.
Paul W.S. Anderson et son équipe s’apprêtent donc à donner une nouvelle vie à l’univers d’House of the Dead, en espérant séduire le public d’aujourd’hui avec un film qui saura combiner frissons et nostalgie pour les amateurs de jeux vidéo.