Founded in 2000 by Jason Blum,Blumhouse Productionsis the studio responsible for producing some of the best popcorn movies of the last two decades. ThoughBlumhousehas produced a good handful of dramas before, including greats likeWhiplashandBlacKkKlansman, the production company is best known for its work in the horror genre. While not all of its films have been hits, Blumhouse has quickly become a home for some of the best horror franchises of the last 20 years. And with great franchises, great games are often likely to follow.
The horror genre is one of the most popular in modern gaming, and when looking atBlumhouse’s extensive back catalogof releases, there are a good few movies in there that have the potential to be excellent video game experiences. Some of these movies may need a little reworking to properly fit the video game medium, but the potential is certainly there.
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The Invisible Man
The most recent movie release on this list,Blumhouse’sThe Invisible Manhit theaters in February 2020. Unfortunately, the pandemic cut the movie’s theatrical run short, so many had to wait awhile for it to be released digitally. For many, though, the wait was more than worth it.
Taking the general premise of H.G. Wells’Invisible Man,The Invisible Mansubverts expectations at every turn and delivers an emotionally resonant tale of abuse and coercive control, using the movie-monster premise as the perfect allegory. ThroughLeigh Whannell’s excellent writingand Elisabeth Moss' superb acting,The Invisible Manstood out from the crowd.
ConvertingThe Invisible Manto the video game medium may take a little work, but it’s a tale worth telling again. A simple “walking simulator” type game could fit the narrative well, using the likes ofLayers of FearandAmnesiaas inspiration, and having the threat of an invisible foe constantly in the background to keep the player on edge at all times.
Halloween
Through a deal with Universal, Blumhouse was able to produce 2018’sHalloween. Another movie to hop on the pseudo-reboot-sequel train,Halloweenbegan a new chapter in the franchise, but kept its legacy characters and key lore intact. WhileHalloween’s big bad, Michael Myers, has had plenty of video game screen-time in the past, he rarely makes an appearance nowadays.
The most obvious route for aHalloweengame would be one similar to theFriday the 13thgame and therecently releasedEvil Deadgame, where survivors have to fend off one player in the role of Myers. However, Myers' appearance inDead By Daylightpretty much covers this, so a newHalloweengame would have to seek out an alternative gameplay style.
Happy Death Day
Time loops are all the rage right now, makingHappy Death Dayan ideal candidate for a new horror video game. The general premise ofHappy Death Daysees a college student relive the day of their death over and over again to try and determine who their killer is. A video game with the same premise already has a lot of potential. By taking inspiration fromDeathloopanddetective games likeJudgement, aHappy Death Daygame could definitely work.
The Purge
The Purgeas a series has been going for quite some time, and it’s a premise worth converting to the video game medium. Taking inspiration fromEscape from Tarkov, aPurgegame could task players with looting as many areas as possible before the timer runs out. As the timer continues to tick on, the more dangerous the threats become, leading to a risk-reward system whereby players who stay longer in the match are rewarded with better loot.
Paranormal Activity
While there have been a handful ofParanormal Activitygames released in the past, these have all put the player in the survivor’s shoes. A newParanormal Activitygame could take inspiration fromPhasmophobia, and run with the hype still surrounding it. As opposed toPhasmophobia’s team-based ghost-hunting, aParanormal Activitygame could be a much more intimate, intense affair, making one player the house’s resident, while the other controls the apparition, who tries to mess with them using their paranormal abilities.
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