The Best Horror Game In Years Gets Movie Adaptation And Lovecraft Fans Need To Get Hyped

Described as “The Sixth Sense on the water,” the adaptation aims to capture the horror of H.P. Lovecraft’s tales intertwined with Ernest Hemingway’s straightforward style. Spooky and full of ghostly creatures lurking beneath the surface, Dredge looks like a chilling cinematic experience unlike any other.

The worst type of adaptation is one that seems to completely abandon the original source material. Luckily for video game fans, it looks like Black Salt Games and Story Kitchen will keep the core essence of Dredge intact.

As those who’ve played the video game will know, the description that it’s “the Sixth Sense on the water” isn’t too far off from the original game. But, of course, that doesn’t mean there won’t be any changes made during the transition from the computer to the silver screen. For instance, rather than focusing on inventory management and boat upgrades, Dredge the movie will probably dive deep into the game’s eerie underwater world.

From the information we have so far, Dredge will be a suspenseful adventure in which the characters encounter terrifying aquatic monstrosities and navigate through fog-shrouded landscapes. This means the film has the potential to be either really good or really bad.

The responsibility for a good adaptation falls on Story Kitchen, the production company spearheading the project. Story Kitchen is known for its work on various video game adaptations, including the upcoming Sifu live-action movie and the Vampire Survivors animated TV series. With a track record of bringing fan-favorite gaming experiences to new screens, the collaboration between Black Salt Games and Story Kitchen is a good sign for a faithful adaptation of the live-action Dredge.

Dredge, the video game, takes place on a distant group of islands, where players assume the role of a Fisherman navigating treacherous waters in a small motorized fishing boat. The game operates on a day-night cycle, where players fish and explore, all while dealing with a rising panic meter that unleashes horrors as darkness falls. As players progress, they uncover a plot involving a newlywed wife named J.J., a malevolent entity awakened from the depths, and the cryptic Collector, who tasks the Fisherman with recovering ancient relics scattered across the islands.

Despite some criticism upon its release, Dredge was a commercial success. The game sold over 100,000 copies within its first 24 hours and reached the one million mark by October 2023. It was recognized as one of the best games of 2023, with publications like GamesRadar+, Time, The Guardian, Svenska Dagbladet, and Polygon marking it as a standout title compared to other games from that year.

Specific details about the film’s casting and release date are yet to surface from the murky production waters. But when they do, we’ll be the first to let you know about the mysterious horrors that await in the Dredge cinematic adaptation.