"Return to Silent Hill: A Faithful Adaptation of Silent Hill 2, Promises Cineverse"

Cineverse has acquired the rights to distribute the highly anticipated third installment of the Silent Hill film series, titled Return to Silent Hill, in the United States later this year. According to Cineverse, this new film will be a "faithful adaptation" of the iconic video game Silent Hill 2.

Brandon Hill, Cineverse's executive director of acquisitions, expressed his enthusiasm to Variety, stating, "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."

Director Christophe Gans also shared his excitement about the project, saying, "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 plot of Return to Silent Hill will resonate with fans of the original Silent Hill 2 and the 2024 Bloober remake. It follows the journey of "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 encounters "terrifying figures both familiar and new." The film was first announced in October 2022, with the first glimpse of Return to Silent Hill's version of Red Pyramid Thing — AKA Pyramid Head — revealed in May 2024.

Christophe Gans previously directed the first Silent Hill movie, which was loosely based on the first game and followed the story of mother Rose searching for her missing daughter, Sharon, in a town where it snows during summer. Despite being penned by Oscar-winning writer Roger Avary, known for Pulp Fiction, our review rated Gans' first adaptation as a mediocre 5/10, noting, "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 second film in the series, Silent Hill: Revelation, directed by Michael J. Bassett and loosely based on Silent Hill 3, received an even less favorable review, scoring a 4.5 out of 10. Our critique stated, "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."

Fans can look forward to the release of Return to Silent Hill later this year, with Cineverse promising a "wide theatrical release in America."