Thordur Palsson to Direct Dead by Daylight Film Adaptation
Icelandic director Thordur Palsson has been selected to direct the big-screen adaptation of the survival-horror game Dead by Daylight. Palsson, known for his work on the 2020 Netflix series "The Valhalla Murders" and the 2024 film "The Damned," will work from a script penned by Alexandre Aja and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. Jason Blum, CEO of Blumhouse Atomic Monster, expressed confidence in Palsson's ability to transition the game to the cinematic screen. The film's production marks another step in a growing trend of video game-to-film adaptations, particularly within the horror genre.
Thordur Palsson has officially been chosen to direct the upcoming big-screen adaptation of the game Dead by Daylight. The Iceland-born filmmaker's previous works include the 2020 Netflix series "The Valhalla Murders" and his 2024 directorial debut, the folk-horror movie "The Damned."
Palsson will direct from a script written by Alexandre Aja and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. These writers have contributed to projects such as "The Conjuring 2" and the remake of "The Hills Have Eyes."
Jason Blum, CEO of Blumhouse Atomic Monster, stated to Variety, "Thordur is the filmmaker we trust to carry Dead by Daylight from the screen you play on to the big screen you watch in theaters."
Dead by Daylight, a long-running survival-horror multiplayer game, recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. Launched in 2016 with three playable Killers, the game now features an expanded roster, including cinematic characters like Jason Voorhees and Art the Clown.
The adaptation joins a current resurgence in horror films based on video games. Other recent projects include "Until Dawn," two "Five Nights at Freddy's" films, "Markiplier's Iron Lung," and "Return to Silent Hill." Outside of horror, successful video game adaptations have included "A Minecraft Movie" and "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie," with both reportedly earning around $1 billion each at cinemas.
According to GameSpot, a live-action "Resident Evil" film set for September is also generating significant attention.
