Christophe Gans is working with the directors of the Resident Evil films on a new Silent Hill movie.
A new movie might spell hope for the franchise, as the taste of the cancelled Silent Hills still lingers. The 2006 Silent Hill movie did a good job replicating the atmosphere from the games, and a new entry could easily expand upon the previous movie or take from Silent Hill 1-5 or above.
According to Gans, the new movie will take place in a small American town, ravaged by puritanism. There's not much else known besides that, but given Silent Hill's past this could unravel in several different ways. Religion is a popular go-to for horror, as movie villains can end up performing monstrosities and unspeakable acts in the name of God. Add to that the character of the iconic town, and the new Silent Hill could end up being a really good return to form. The games also feature a religious cult known as "The Order," giving the new movie good source material to draw from.
The first Silent Hill film took place in West Virginia, while the games reference the town as being in Maine. Regardless of its location, the concept of Silent Hill remains the same. Anyone unfortunate enough to wander into the town, whether it's to meet a long lost wife thought dead or just for the heck of it must come face to face with their inner demons in an "Otherworld" where physical laws do not apply. During the course of the game the town dips into a hallucinogenic, monster filled nightmare and then back to normalcy as it unravels the truth of the character that came to visit.
This as a concept would make for a fantastic horror movie, especially given that the games don't generally rely on an overpowered protagonist. They're just an everyman having wandered into Silent Hill as a mistake, or to save someone they love. Focusing on a main character that's smart, has a reason to be there, and has to deal with their own demons in a constantly changing, nightmarish town sounds like a winning formula for a successful adaptation.
At the moment, however, this new movie is just a concept, but hopefully we'll hear more soon.