Psychological Horror "Martha Is Dead" To Get A Film Adaptation

Italian developer LKA officially announced that its psychological horror game, Martha Is Dead, will be getting a film adaptation, thus embarking on its "cinematic journey." The studio confirmed that it has teamed up with Swedish film studio Studios Extraordinaires, which has experience in "crafting high-end action, horror, and science-fiction films from original stories and extraordinary games."

Its publisher, Wired Productions, made an official statement on 16th January 2024, in which its Managing Director Leo Zullo stated that this game's "gripping narrative and unique setting make it a perfect candidate for a film adaptation." It has also been confirmed that the Martha Is Dead film adaptation is currently in development, for which Studios Extraordinaires are working closely with LKA, including LKA's co-founder and Martha Is Dead co-creators.

Martha Is Dead was released in February 2022 for console and PC and is set in the scenic war-torn Tuscany, Italy, during the deadly World War II. Players assume the role of the game's protagonist, Guila, who gets caught in a haunting mystery surrounding her twin sister's death, Martha while dealing with this tragic loss and its subsequent fallout as the war edges closer.

Martha Is Dead has generated mostly positive reviews for exceptional game design and hyperrealism, which has blurred "the lines between reality, superstition and the tragedy of war." The game was also embroiled in a massive controversy for its graphic nature, which featured some extremely violent scenes and unsettling imagery, which saw parts of the game's content being removed from its PlayStation versions.

Nevertheless, this chilling narrative experience receiving a film adaptation looks to give fans and interested viewers "a cinematic tour-de-force," which Studios Extraordinaires stated it will remain faithful "to the game's soul-stirring essence." LKA's co-founder and director Luca Dalcò expressed his excitement for this project as "bringing this to life as a film is a dream come true" as the game's complex narrative was crafted, "visualized, and even shaped with a cinematic quality in mind."