TL;DR
Sony is developing a film adaptation of the 2024 horror game Mouthwashing. Karyn Kusama will direct from a screenplay by Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay, while Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill and Vince Cheng will produce. Casting, production timing and a release date have not been announced.
Sony is developing a feature film based on the horror game Mouthwashing, with Karyn Kusama directing a screenplay by Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay, according to The Hollywood Reporter, as cited by Dread Central. Scott Derrickson is attached as a producer, not the director, alongside C. Robert Cargill and Vince Cheng under their Crooked Highway banner.
The adaptation brings together filmmakers with an existing working relationship: Kusama, Manfredi and Hay previously collaborated on The Invitation. Kusama’s directing credits also include Jennifer’s Body, while Derrickson is known for directing horror films including Sinister. The report identifies Kusama as the film’s director and Manfredi and Hay as its writers; it does not name a cast.
The game, developed by Wrong Organ and published by Critical Reflex, follows five crew members aboard the space freighter Tulpar after it crash-lands on an asteroid. With supplies dwindling, isolation and paranoia deepen tensions among the stranded crew. The premise provides the central setting for the adaptation, but the report does not say whether the film will follow the game’s story closely or make substantial changes.
Dread Central reports that Mouthwashing launched on PC in 2024 and has an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating among English-language reviewers on Steam. The outlet also says the game is available on PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and Xbox platforms, including through Game Pass on console and PC. Those releases give the film project an existing game audience, although no audience or sales figures were supplied in the report.
A Game Adaptation With Horror Talent
The project pairs a story built around confinement, isolation and crew conflict with a director whose credits include psychological horror. That combination may appeal to existing players and to moviegoers drawn to contained, character-focused horror. It also places Kusama, rather than Derrickson, at the helm: the distinction matters because some early descriptions of the project could leave readers with the mistaken impression that Derrickson is directing.
For Sony, the adaptation adds a video-game property to its film slate. But a game’s critical reception does not, by itself, establish how a film will perform, and the available report gives no budget, distribution schedule or release plan. For now, the confirmed development is the creative team and the adaptation itself—not a finished film or a promised production timetable.
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From PC Game to Film Project
Mouthwashing was released on PC in 2024 by developer Wrong Organ and publisher Critical Reflex. Its premise centers on a crash and the worsening conditions aboard the Tulpar, making the isolated spacecraft the story’s defining environment. Dread Central describes the game as critically acclaimed and points to its Steam rating as evidence of a positive response among English-language reviewers; no review count or broader rating breakdown is included in the supplied report.
Dread Central says an earlier report had already indicated that an adaptation was in development. The newer development, attributed to The Hollywood Reporter, supplies more specific attachments: Sony as studio, Kusama as director, and Derrickson and his Crooked Highway partners as producers. The source material also reports expanded console availability for the game, but does not establish that those releases prompted Sony’s decision.
““Five crew members stranded aboard the space freighter Tulpar, which crash-lands on an asteroid.””
— Dread Central, summarizing the game’s premise
Production Details Still Unreported
The available reporting does not name actors, a production start date, a filming location, a budget or a release date. It also does not say whether the film has completed a draft, how closely its story will follow the game, or whether the game’s creators are directly involved in the adaptation. Sony’s announcement and the reported attachments do not confirm that production has begun.
The game’s Steam rating is reported without a review count or a comparison baseline, so it should not be treated as a measure of total audience size. The source material also offers no details on distribution beyond describing the project as a Sony film. Those points may become clearer in later announcements.
Casting and Filming Announcements
The next concrete updates to watch for are casting, production dates and a release plan. Sony or the filmmakers may also clarify the adaptation’s story approach and whether members of Wrong Organ or Critical Reflex will take part. Until those details are announced, the project is confirmed as in development with Kusama directing and Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill and Vince Cheng producing.
Key Questions
Who is directing the Mouthwashing film?
Karyn Kusama is directing from a screenplay by Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay, according to the reporting cited by Dread Central.
Is Scott Derrickson directing the adaptation?
No. Derrickson is attached as a producer alongside C. Robert Cargill and Vince Cheng. Kusama is the director.
What is the Mouthwashing game about?
The game follows five crew members stranded aboard the freighter Tulpar after it crashes on an asteroid, as dwindling supplies and isolation intensify tensions.
When will the Mouthwashing film be released?
No release date has been announced. The available report also does not provide a production start date or casting information.
Source: dreadcentral.com
