The film company behind franchises such as SAW and Hostel is tapping into the realm of horror games, obtaining the film rights to the popular zombie video game Dead Island. The title has taken gamers by storm ever since its mind-blowing trailer was released this summer and has gone on to sell over 2 millions copies since its release last month. Lionsgate’s Joe Drake spoke with Deadline and discussed the company’s intent on purchasing the property for a future film:
“Like hundreds of journalists and millions of fans who were so passionate and vocal about Dead Island trailer, we too were awestruck..This is exactly the type of property we’re looking to adapt at Lionsgate: it’s sophisticated, edgy, and a true elevation of a genre that we know and love. It also has built in brand recognition around the world, and franchise potential.”
The Mummy producer Sean Daniel is said to tackle the project, which has no official release or pre-production date. Credit The Walking Dead for reviving the zombie genre, seriously.
