Earlier on Wednesday, the team behind the Silent Hill horror franchise released the live Silent Hill Transmission, a broadcast that provided updates on upcoming games and merchandise. But there was also another big announcement! A new movie adaptation based on the games is officially in the works and the director will return Christophe Gans and producer Victor Hadida! The full broadcast can be viewed below.
The focus on the filming begins midway through the broadcast, which begins with the introduction of Konami’s Digital Entertainment Assistant Producer, Rui Naito. Naito states that the film adaptation “will be the catalyst for the revival of new ones” Silent Hill games” before delving into the origins of the film’s production.
According to Naito, Hadida contacted Konami with a proposal to return to the franchise with Ganz, who was also interested in returning to directing. A script was then pitched, and well received by Konami. Naito then stated that it was the pitch of the film that gave him the idea to revive the classic games.
The video then switches to Gans and Hadida to discuss the upcoming project, titled Return to Silent Hill. Both go into detail about the impact and themes of the infamous game, Silent Hill 2which is set to be the game on which Return to Silent Hill is based on. While the two are speaking, concept art and storyboards for the upcoming film are shown. Gans says that while the film will provide a new look at the lore of Silent Hill, it will also be a faithful and respectful adaptation of the haunting story.
The games of the Silent Hill franchise were amazing artistic achievements and I have a responsibility to translate that on the big screen. That’s why the first movie was so well received by Silent Hill fans, because they felt I was one of them. It was so important to me to respect the original creation, you know. That was the basis and the beginning of everything… So I go with a maximum of humility, a maximum of respect, but at the same time I have a great challenge, a goal. That’s how we can turn the language of the game, which is all about immersion, into a story, into a story that we can tell in 90-100 minutes.
Returning to the city that burns…
Silent Hill is a franchise with a devoted fan base dating back as far as 1999. The first game followed protagonist Harry Mason as he entered the titular New England town in search of his missing adopted daughter. The game was later made into a movie in 2006 by Gans and Hadida, with Don Carmody also serving as producer and using a script by Roger Avary, Nicolas Bouhrief and Gans. The film had notable changes such as swapping the paternal Harry for the maternal Rose. The film also includes elements from the sequels Silent Hill 2, 3 and 4. The film’s critical response was generally negative, but fans praised the film for its visuals, especially featuring the franchise’s iconic monsters.
In 2012 the movie Silent Hill: Revelation was released in theaters as a sequel. This episode followed the plot of Silent Hill 3, with the cast mainly aging and returning to the infamous New England town. The film was received negatively by fans and critics alike.
Silent Hill 2 is a separate story from the first and third installments. The game follows James Sunderland, who ventures into town when he receives a letter from his late wife, stating that she is waiting there. Compared to its predecessor, Silent Hill 2 relies more on psychological horror, inspired by filmmakers such as David Cronenberg and Alfred Hitchcock. On this concept alone, this gives Gans and Hadida a new slate to step back into the beloved horror franchise. But the question remains, is it worth returning to Silent Hill?