We don’t have to wait until Halloween to talk about the games that make us want to keep on the lights. Horror games have become the go-to genre of “Let’s Play” videos on YouTube, and we are definitely entertained by watching people like Markiplier lose their cool when faced with a jumpscare. However, we think horror games can also be excellent subject matter for Hollywood, as well.
We know that movies based on video games don’t typically do well, but horror could prove to be different, especially with the right director. The goal is to nail the atmosphere just as much as it is about selling the adaptation. So, without further ado, here are our picks for the ten horror games that need movie adaptations, and the directors that should do them.
10 Alan Wake - Mike Flanagan
We wouldn’t blame you if you got Stephen King-vibes from Alan Wake. The story of an author looking for his missing wife has the legendary horror author’s influence all over it. It’s moody, unsettling, and it is set in a small town (King’s typical location for his stories).
For this reason, we suggest Mike Flanagan take the lead on bringing this game adaptation to the screen. Why? Well, Flanagan has taken on a couple of King-related properties: Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep. He also knows how to take mundane ideas or routines and make them disturbing in a way that stays with the viewer after the credits roll.
9 Until Dawn - John Carpenter
Initially, we would have chosen the “master of the slasher” Wes Craven to take the reigns on this. However, with his passing, we feel John Carpenter would be just as good a choice. Until Dawn combines a teen slasher plotline with a “whodunit” and traditional creature feature. With films like The Thing, They Live, and the iconic Halloweeen under his belt, Carpenter, would be superb in bringing all three elements to the screen while also doing them justice.
8 Little Nightmares - Tim Burton
There is something slightly child-like about the atmosphere of Little Nightmares. The cartoonish—yet disturbing—nature of the graphics, and the almost puppetlikelook of the characters make this an excellent story for the great Tim Burton to tackle.
He knows how to exaggerate a situation to make it equal parts entertaining and unsettling. Burton is also able to make you feel invested in a character like Six while also enjoying the oddities that are showcased. In short, we definitely feel Burton would be the guy for this job.
7 Outlast - David Fincher
You may not have ever heard the name David Fincher, but you have likely seen what is arguably his most famous film: Se7en. Fincher knows how to make gritty settings and criminal acts terrifying. This situation makes him the clear choice for directing an Outlast film.
Fincher is excellent at examining all the perspectives of a dangerous and horrible circumstance. We got the opportunity to see a bit into John Doe’s mind in Se7en while getting a clearer picture of the psychotic mind of another serial murderer in Zodiac. He would bring the same nuance and terror to a story involving the criminally insane in Outlast.
6 Five Nights At Freddy’s - Andrés Muschietti
Again, Muschietti’s name is not as recognizable as John Carpenter, Wes Craven, or David Cronenberg, but you are likely very familiar with his work. Muschietti is responsible for bringing the reworking of It and It Chapter 2 to theaters. This guy knows how to make stories involving children downright frightening; he plays on our old childhood fears and puts us in their shoes.
For this reason, he should be in the director’s chair for Five Night At Freddy’s. Missing children, a series of child murders, and haunted animatronic suits are all topics he can put together to create a story that will have you avoiding all restaurants that involve robotic animals.
5 F.E.A.R. - Danny Boyle
F.E.A.R. has a primal intensity that would work incredibly well onscreen. The edge-of-your-seat fear of not knowing whether what you see on screen is real or a disturbing apparition is perfect for the theater. As we all know, F.E.A.R. follows the story of Point Man, a member of a special forces team, haunted by the ghost of a young girl as he uncovers her mysteries.
The director of 28 Days Later and The Beach, Danny Boyle, would be a solid choice to direct this story. Boyle knows how to take military settings, as well as situations that shouldn’t be frightening in theory, and turn them into shocking and thrilling tales.
4 Dead Space - Ridley Scott
For one of the most terrifying games of all time, you know we had to pair it with the legendary director of one of the scariest movies of all time: Alien. Scott is one of the only people who could bring the terror of Dead Space to screen and do it justice. There are even times during Dead Space, where Isaac’s journey through the ship mirrors some of Ripley’s iconic scenes. The way Scott showcases a fear of the unknown—and the perfect way he introduces the otherworldly alien—would work here excellently.
3 Silent Hill 2 - James Wan
We know that Silent Hill has already been adapted into a couple of films. However, these movie versions could have been so much better. The emotional complexity and horror on display in Silent Hill 2 deserve its time on the big screen. We feel James Wan, the breakout director with films like The Conjuring and Insidious under his belt, could make it happen.
At the heart of Silent Hill 2 is a story of a man that feels guilty and responsible for the death of his wife. Wan has tackled the intersection of emotional trauma and horror in most of his films. He also knows how to create a subtlely scary atmosphere instead of in-your-face terror. We feel his touch would work well here.
2 Resident Evil 7 - Scott Derrickson
Again, you may not know this guy, but you have probably seen his movies (if you are a horror or comic book fan). Scott Derrickson has directed Sinister, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, and Doctor Strange. With Sinister, the horror is attached to a place, much like what occurs in Resident Evil 7.
The disturbing imagery and family turmoil in Sinister let us know that Derrickson could handle telling Resident Evil 7’s story. Also, this guy brought one of Marvel’s fringe characters to the big screen, so we are confident he could make a Resident Evil movie that actually garners critical acclaim.
1 P.T. - Guillermo del Toro
This one is a no-brainer. The fact that this guy partnered with Hideo Kojima to bring one of the most unsettling gaming experiences to life should put him in the running for directing a film version. Del Toro’s movies are excellent at showing horrifying creatures in a sympathetic light. From The Shape of Water to Pan’s Labyrinth, del Toro causes us to feel some level of emotion during these disturbing experiences. The same can be said for P.T. Each radio broadcast and story detail that is revealed paints a moving picture of the ghost’s—as well as her family’s—last moments. Del Toro could bring this emotion and horror to the big screen in a big way.
NEXT: 10 Horror Games We Are Looking Forward To In 2020
