'Silent Hill' Who? This Movie Will Be The Best Video Game Adaptation Of 2026
The video game curse returns as Return to Silent Hill bombs at the box office. During its opening weekend, the movie earned just $3.2 million, which is a remarkable travesty for any studio. Its failure also brings back the old “video game curse” that alleges video game adaptations will always fail at the box office and receive horrible reviews (Return to Silent Hill currently holds an 18% on Rotten Tomatoes). In the last few years, it seemed like the curse may have been broken, thanks to hits like The Last of Us (2023-Present) and Fallout (2024-Present). But Return to Silent Hill has once again cast doubt on just how good video game adaptations can be.
Luckily, gamers and horror fans have another scary video game adaptation to look forward to…and there’s a good chance it’ll be way better than Return to Silent Hill. Releasing on Shudder on February 13, 2026, The Mortuary Assistant is based on the hit 2022 video game of the same name. The story follows a woman who gets a job as a mortuary assistant, but what she doesn’t know is that the mortuary is haunted by a demon, and that her presence has upset it.
But what makes The Mortuary Assistant such a great and scary game, and why could it be the perfect video game adaptation? Read on to find out.
What Is 'The Mortuary Assistant' Game Like?
In The Mortuary Assistant, players take on the role of Rebecca, a newly hired mortuary assistant. For a horror game, The Mortuary Assistant has a relatively relaxed gameplay. You explore the mortuary, take care of cadavers, and perform basic tasks.
From the start, the game is creepy. You are alone. In a mortuary. On a stormy night. The vibes feel perfectly off-balance from the very beginning. But then, things start to happen. You start to see shadowy figures, cadavers begin to move, hallways suddenly go on forever…and full-bodied apparitions chase you through the dark corridors of the mortuary.
It’s very much an atmospheric video game and players don’t need to worry about combat or dying until the very end, where you can either succeed or become possessed yourself. But for the most part, The Mortuary Assistant is a game all about the great atmospheric horror and jump scares.
How 'The Mortuary Assistant's' Unique Scares Could Translate To The Big Screen
Most of the fun in The Mortuary Assistant comes from the way the game expertly sets up jump scares. You’ll be working, and a face peeks around the corner; or your character will turn around, and a shadowy figure is suddenly right behind you. With so much of the game focusing on atmospheric horror instead of quick, action-based combat or survival, it’s already essentially set itself up as a cinematic experience.
As we’ve seen with blockbuster hits like Paranormal Activity (2007) and The Blair Witch Project (1999), atmospheric horror translates incredibly well into the cinematic experience. Those small noises in the background, or something lurking in the corner of the screen, and the building tension of knowing that something is wrong, all makes for a great and scary horror movie experience. And that’s exactly the vibe The Mortuary Assistant already has, so the filmmakers had a great blueprint to work from to create an engaging horror movie.
Plus, as a small indie game, its graphical power is limited (while still very scary), so with movie VFX and practical effects, the demons can look more real and terrifying, potentially giving the film adaptation a chance at being even scarier than the game.
What To Watch If You Like 'The Mortuary Assistant'
If you loved playing The Mortuary Assistant and are excited about the movie, here are some other films you should check out on Prime Video, Hulu, and more. Whether you loved the game for its demonic plot, its lingering and terrifying atmospheric horror, or its screamworthy jump scares, you’re going to love these films.
If you loved the demonic plot, check out The Autopsy of Jane Doe (2016), which is going to be the most similar movie to the game. In the film, a mysterious cadaver arrives at the mortuary, and it turns out she was a demonic sacrifice. From there, the horror really takes off. Another similar film is The Taking of Deborah Logan (2014). The movie follows the caretaker of an elderly woman with Alzheimer's. But it turns out she isn't actually suffering from a disease, rather is slowly being taken over by a demonic entity. The indie film is a really fun and seriously scary movie that became a hit in the home video and streaming markets.
If you’re a fan of The Mortuary Assistant’s atmospheric horror, not only are films like Paranormal Activity and The Blair Witch Project must-watches, but also check out movies like Late Night with the Devil (2024) and The Orphanage (2007). Both have fantastic settings that create eerie, tense vibes. If you love the way the game places you in an environment where the dread and horror slowly grow around you, you’ll love the way these films bring out the same emotions.
Of course, another part of what makes The Mortuary Assistant so terrifying is its excellent jump scares. Half the reason the little indie game became such a huge success was by streamers like Markiplier playing the game and getting terrified by the excellent jump scares. If you love a good fright, you should check out movies like Host (2020) or Hell House LLC (2015). Both build up the tension and horror with great jump scares, and even better, both films use practical effects, which always makes them so much scarier!
