According to Cineverse, which has acquired the rights for the upcoming third Silent Hill film in the U.S., Return to Silent Hill is set to be a "faithful adaptation" of the iconic Silent Hill 2 video game's story. This highly anticipated release is expected later this year.
“Silent Hill is one of the best video game franchises, period, and Christophe Gans did a phenomenal job capturing the atmosphere of the games once again with Return to Silent Hill,” Cineverse executive director of acquisitions, Brandon Hill, shared with Variety.
Director Christophe Gans expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “I am delighted to partner with Cineverse, which has shown a genuine understanding of fanship. Return to Silent Hill is an adaptation created out of deep respect for a true masterpiece of a game, Konami’s iconic Silent Hill 2. I hope fans will enjoy and be fulfilled with the experience this new film has to offer."
The film's plot will resonate deeply with fans of the original *Silent Hill 2* and the 2024 Bloober remake. It centers on "James (Jeremy Irvine), a man broken after being separated from his one true love (Hannah Emily Anderson). When a mysterious letter calls him back to Silent Hill in search of her, he finds a once-recognizable town transformed by an unknown evil" and "terrifying figures both familiar and new." Unveiled in October 2022, the first glimpse of *Return to Silent Hill*'s version of Red Pyramid Thing — AKA Pyramid Head — was revealed in May 2024.Gans' initial foray into the Silent Hill universe, loosely based on the first game, follows the story of Rose, a mother searching for her missing daughter, Sharon, in a town where it defies nature by snowing in summer. Despite being penned by Oscar-winning writer Roger Avary of Pulp Fiction fame, our review rated Gans' first adaptation a mediocre 5/10, stating: "So there we have it. Our worst fears realized yet again. The video game-to-film genre has endured more than a decade of mediocrity. Silent Hill is probably the smartest and best-looking video game adaptation yet, it just doesn't have much else going for it. After all, video games are about entertainment, and Silent Hill is a chore to sit through."
Silent Hill 2 (2024) Review Screens
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The sequel, Silent Hill: Revelation, directed by Michael J. Bassett and loosely based on Silent Hill 3, received a less favorable 4.5 in our review: "Silent Hill Revelation 3D is an inferior sequel in every way, shape and form, a horror sequel that fails to either intrigue or scare, and one that just might have killed the franchise cold-dead."
Return to Silent Hill is slated for a "wide theatrical release in America" later this year, promising an exciting addition to the Silent Hill saga.
