Sony developing film adaptation of horror game Mouthwashing

Sony Pictures Entertainment, the US film studio, has acquired the rights to the independent horror video game Mouthwashing and is developing a film based on it. Engadget reports, citing The Hollywood Reporter, that the rights came from the game's developer, Wrong Organ.

Who is involved

Karyn Kusama, who directed Jennifer's Body and The Invitation, is attached to direct. The script is being written by Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay, who also wrote The Invitation. Scott Derrickson, the director of The Black Phone and Sinister, is producing.

Why it matters

Engadget notes that Sony is likely hoping to repeat the success it had with Resident Evil. Zach Cregger's adaptation of the survival horror series by Japanese publisher Capcom was both a critical hit and a financial success.

Mouthwashing is far more grounded than the goofier style of horror found in Resident Evil. The game follows the crew of a stranded spaceship as they slowly lose their grip on reality. It does not rely heavily on jump scares, but its heavy themes and surreal imagery make it an interesting candidate for a film.

Availability of the game

The film has no release date yet. The game launched on PC in 2024 and is now also available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, as well as through Xbox Game Pass.