The worlds of Alan Wake and Control will soon make their way to the screen — both big and small. The popular video games by Remedy Entertainment are next to receive the film and TV treatment, with Annapurna Pictures and the studio joining forces to develop new audiovisual projects based on the franchises.
As part of the pact, Annapurna is also onboard to co-produce and co-finance the upcoming Control 2, which currently has no release window. The news comes as the production company’s live-action feature, Nightbitch, is slated for its Toronto Film Festival debut, and after an adaptation of popular cyberpunk cat game Stray was announced. Recent works by Annapurna include Oscar-nominated animated feature Nimona, and Amazon Prime Video’s Dead Ringers series.
“At Remedy, our primary focus continues to be what we do best — crafting industry-defining video games that have earned us global recognition. Now, the time is right to expand the reach of Remedy’s beloved franchises to an even broader global audience through film, television, and more,” reads a statement by CEO Tero Virtala. “In Annapurna, we have found an outstanding partner who shares our ambition and passion for immersive storytelling. We are excited to see them bring the universes and characters we have created to life in new mediums, thanks to this unique deal.”
First released in 2010, horror survival title Alan Wake amassed a cult following over the years with a story about the titular writer being stalked by characters from his literary works who have came off the page in an alternate dimension, as he attempts to solve the mysterious disappearance of his wife.
Control, launched nine years later, centres around Jesse Faden, the newly appointed director of the Federal Bureau of Control — a secret government organisation that monitors supernatural activity — and her investigation of the Bureau’s headquarters when a malevolent force takes over and tests the limits of her telekinetic abilities. The action-adventure game was later revealed to be a secret spinoff to Alan Wake, which received a sequel in 2023.
All the titles are now referred to as installments of the Remedy Connected Universe, which will continue with Control 2. A multiplayer Control spin-off is also in development.
“This deal with Remedy isn’t just about adapting great games — it’s about breaking new ground in how companies can collaborate. By backing Remedy’s move toward self-publishing, we’re putting our faith in their vision,” said Hector Sanchez, Annapurna’s President of Interactive and New Media. “We know from experience that Remedy is a first-class games development partner, and we’re excited to share their work with an even wider audience by bringing the Control and Alan Wake universes to film, television and beyond.”
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
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