It’s safe to say thatSilent Hillis one of the most important video games of modern times. The series brings horror in places that feel surprising, emotional, and unsettling. Each game brings its fair share of terrifying creatures and scares, but never forget to have a complex story.
But despite its success as a video game series,Silent Hillhas not had the same amount of luck in itsfilm adaptations. While the first film,Silent Hill,was met with few complaints, its sequelSilent Hill: Revelationis seen as a complete fumble — with flat characters and a plot that can’t find its place. After almost a decade, though, it may be time to consider another shot at making aSilent Hillfilm. Here are a few directors that could take on an adaptation of this iconic series.
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Ari Aster
One of the newer directors on the list, Ari Aster is quickly becoming known for his specific brand of horror. Aster burst onto the scene with 2017’sHereditarystarring Toni Collette. After receiving critical and commercial acclaim, the writer-director followed the film up withMidsommarin 2019.Midsommarfollows a woman (played byBlack Widow’sFlorence Pugh) as she and a group of friends visit a village in Sweden. Their vacation turns into a nightmare after they realize they’ve been led into a pagan cult.
Besides the unnerving and mythical nature of the horror Aster likes to draw inspiration from, his films are deeply rooted in human connection and their relationships with one another. This tendency would lend itself well to the world ofSilent Hill, which is full of traumatic relationships and difficult family or friendship-led issues,like the plot ofSilent Hill 3.
Guillermo Del Toro
With his inventive choices and monster-filled filmography, this director of the upcomingNightmare Alleywould be right at home in theSilent Hilluniverse. Del Toro is known for his love of fantasy and horror, especially in places where one wouldn’t normally look for them. His 2006 film,Pan’s Labyrinth,was a commercial and critical success, garnering three Academy Awards including Best Makeup and Cinematography.
Throughout his career, Del Toro has focused much of his work around creatures, mythic or not. Great examples includeThe Shape Of Waterand his upcoming adaptation ofPinocchio.Guillermo is already familiar withSilent Hill, as he was slated to work onthe now-canceledSilent Hillsgame with Hideo Kojima. Maybe a film adaptation will be our chance to see what this director could have done in the horror series.
Jennifer Kent
There are few modern horror films as remembered as 2014’sThe Babadook,and for good reason. Jennifer Kent’s directorial debut mixes horror with family drama for an unsettling and emotional journey. Stepping away from horror for her second film,The Nightingale, this Australian directoralways put women at the center of her stories, which could translate perfectly in the world ofSilent Hill,where plenty of strong female characters reside.
Kent also has a remarkable skill of bringing authenticity to her characters, something desperately needed ingenres like horror or thrillers. It could be interesting to see her tackle a character-based story from the famous series, such as the plot fromSilent Hill 2.
Andy Muschietti
This Argentine director is right at home in the horror genre. Muschietti was first noticed in the film world for his three-minute horror shortMamá, which garnered praise from fellow list-maker, Guillermo Del Toro. Del Toro joined Muschietti as an executive producer for a full-lengthMamafilm, which was released in 2013. The film stars Jessica Chastain and was well received. Andy gained more traction after directing thetwo newestItfilms, based on the novel by Stephen King.It,released in 2017, is the highest-grossing horror film of all time, with its sequelIt: Chapter 2, coming in second.
While it’s not exactly a video game, Muschietti’s work on theItfilms shows his ability to adapt art into another medium without losing the heart of the original story.Muschietti is also directingThe Flashand Netflix’s adaptation ofAttack on Titan,which adds more adaptation experience to his filmography.
Mike Flanagan
If there’s one thing that this director understands, it’s the innate horror and tension that can happen from the simple relationships around us. Flanagan’s horror films are focused on families or close-knit communities that begin to fray. After writing and directing films likeOculus, Hush,andBefore I Wake,Flanagan releasedThe Haunting of Hill House.Premiering on Netflix, the horror-thriller series is loosely based on the Shirley Jackson book of the same name and became an overnight streaming sensation.
Flanagan released another season before coming out withMidnight Mass, a miniseries that has garnered praise. ASilent Hilladaptation directed by Flanagan is sure to have deep relationships between its characters, making for the twists and turns to be all that more devastating.
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