It seems like the Remedy-verse may be slated to reach a whole bunch more people. Today, Remedy Entertainment announced they’ve given Annapurna Pictures the rights to adapt Remedy’s Alan Wake and Control games into film and television. Additionally, Annapurna will finance 50% of Control 2’s development budget as part of the deal.
The news is exciting for Remedy-pilled individuals for a few reasons. First off, it’s good to hear that Control 2, a sequel to a Paste-beloved videogame, has secured another funding partner. While Alan Wake 2 was a critically beloved banger that reminded us how bigger budget games can still do transgressive things, according to Remedy’s investment reports, it still hadn’t made back its budget as of August 9th. It’s reassuring to know that they’re getting financial support which could help them stay independent and taking big swings.
And then, of course, it’s also intriguing to hear that Annapurna, the production company that’s brought us excellent films like Phantom Thread, If Beale Street Could Talk, and The Master, as well as some incredible videogames like Kentucky Route Zero, Outer Wilds, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, and Neon White, is interested in bringing Alan Wake and Control to the big and/or small screen.
“The future of storytelling requires seamlessly integrating gaming, film, and television, and this partnership will allow us to explore new ways of bringing these narratives to life,” Megan Ellison, Founder and CEO of Annapurna, said in a statement. “By leveraging Remedy’s innovative narratives and immersive worlds, we can push the boundaries of how stories are told and experienced across mediums.”
In the past, Remedy worked on Quantum Break, a game that did what Ellison is alluding to here by telling its story via both a game and a TV show, but whether something like that is in the cards for Control and Alan Wake remains to be seen. But even if what’s in store is just a “normal” film or TV adaptation, Annapurna will have a lot to work with given how successfully Remedy’s games pull from cinematic language.