The Last of Us and Alien: Romulus‘ Isabela Merced is trading Xenomorphs for zombies, as she's set to star in the upcoming movie adaptation of SEGA's House of the Dead video game series.
As previously announced, Resident Evil's Paul W. S. Anderson, who is more than well-versed in adapting legendary zombie games for the big screen, will write, direct, and 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). Merced will serve as Executive Producer.
If you've not played the legendary arcade game, which has been a staple of game centers since 1997, the shooter plays as follows:
In the arcade game, players take on the role of AMS agents, a government agency tasked with thwarting the conspiracies of organizations that threaten the world. The title comes from the bureau they work for, because their life expectancies are brief.
Anderson previously confirmed that his take on the series will be based on The House of the Dead III from 2002. No news yet on who Merced will be playing, if that's still the case.
Deadline also confirms today that Sega and partners see House of the Dead as a franchise starter, and given that Anderson directed six films in the Resident Evil series, we can't imagine making multiple House of the Dead movies will be a challenge for him.
Here's what Anderson has to say of Merced's casting, and the series expansion, in a new statement:
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 adds:
“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.”
House of the Dead‘s development news comes as an exciting addition to the recent canon of horror movie video game adaptations including Christophe Gans' Return to Silent Hill, Zach Cregger's Resident Evil, Genki Kawamura's Exit 8, Jeremiah Kipp's The Mortuary Assistant and Gary Dauberman's The Medium, to name but a few.
Stay tuned for more on House of the Dead as we get it, and for more, here's all the video games we're excited for still to come this year.
