Remedy Entertainment and Annapurna are joining forces to potentially bring survival-horror-action video game franchise Alan Wake to the big and small screen.
In an official press release today, the developers released a joint statement that also revealed plans to bring the action-adventure game Control in on those plans, as well as announcing Control 2.
The horror-inspired Alan Wake, released in 2010 for Xbox and PlayStation platforms, has sold over 4.5 million copies internationally, with last year's sequel, Alan Wake 2, becoming one of the year's most acclaimed video games – nabbing itself a FANGORIA Chainsaw Award nomination in the brand new Best Video Game category in the process.
In Alan Wake:
The story follows bestselling crime thriller novelist Alan Wake as he tries to uncover the mystery behind his wife's disappearance during a vacation in the small fictional town of Bright Falls, Washington, all while experiencing events from the plot of his latest novel, which he cannot remember writing, coming to life.
Arriving a full 13 years after the original, Alan Wake 2 put players in two different roles: the titular author (who’s now trapped in a nightmarish, alternate version of NYC) and FBI agent Saga Anderson.
While specifics for the adaptation are still in the very early stages, in today's press release from Remedy, the full business plans are revealed:
Annapurna will take the lead in expanding Control and Alan Wake into new entertainment mediums, enabling Remedy to focus on the development of Control 2 and other upcoming games. As part of the deal, Annapurna will acquire an option to television, film, and selected audiovisual licensing rights for Control and Alan Wake as well as related ancillary products. Remedy will retain the full IP rights for Control and Alan Wake.
Tero Virtala, CEO of Remedy Entertainment, had this to say of the combined effort:
“This strategic partnership between Annapurna and Remedy is an important milestone and an exciting opportunity for us. We know Annapurna shares our passion for our IPs and the universes we have created. With award-winning movies such as Zero Dark Thirty and games like Stray, Annapurna’s expertise across film, TV, and video games makes them an ideal partner for us. This agreement will ensure we can develop Control 2 into the best game possible, allow us to move into self-publishing for selected titles and expand our franchises to other mediums,”
And from Megan Ellison, Founder and CEO of Annapurna:
“The future of storytelling requires seamlessly integrating gaming, film, and television, and this partnership will allow us to explore new ways of bringing these narratives to life […] By leveraging Remedy’s innovative narratives and immersive worlds, we can push the boundaries of how stories are told and experienced across mediums.”
With its Twin Peaks, True Detective and In the Mouth of Madness inspirations, Alan Wake should adapt to the big or small screen perfectly for horror fans craving some more supernaturally-tinged true crime goodness, especially post Longlegs.
Back in 2022, AMC announced plans for an Alan Wake television series, but whether or not those previous plans are connected to the current development project remains to be seen.
At present, there are no more concrete details for the teased Alan Wake or Control adaptations, but we'll bring you all the updates as and when they roll in.
