As the genre continues to expand with other titles, theBendy and the Ink Machinemovie is finally gaining steam as André Øvredal has signed on to direct the adaptation. Created by Paul Crawford and Mike Desjardins, the eponymous horror franchise has put players in the shoes of a variety of protagonists racing to determine the truth behind the ink-based demons of Joey Drew Studios and escape the various monsters of the fictional animation studio. After the success of the five-episode original game and its prequels and sequels, aBendy and the Ink Machinemovie was announcedon Christmas Day 2023.

Now, nearly a year after the project was first announced, the officialBendyTwitter account has revealed thatAndré Øvredal is set to direct theBendy and the Ink Machinemovie. The first half of the video announcement is a collection of imagery from the annals of Joey Drew Studios, while the second half is Øvredal recording a video message while holding a Bendy doll expressing his excitement to be at the helm and a promise to stay true to what fans love about the games. Check out Øvredal’s message in the quote and post below:

Featured Image Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark Alvin Schwartz Stephen Gammell

I promise we’re going to make a really special movie, something that all the fans are going to love. Something that honors the fantastic characters, fun worlds, and everything we all love about the Bendy games.

What Øvredal’s Hiring Means For Bendy & The Ink Machine

The Movie Has A Celebrated Director At The Helm

Beyond just being the first major update for the film in nearly a year,Øvredal’s hiring forBendy and the Ink Machinebrings a largely well-regarded filmmaker to the adaptation. After initially breaking out with his dark fantasyTrollhunter, the director foundinternational success with 2016’sThe Autopsy of Jane Doe, which he quickly followed up with the adaptation ofScary Stories to Tell in the Dark, which similarly garnered largely positive reviews from critics and was a box office success, with a sequel still remaining in development.

Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark 2: What Tales The Sequel Could Adapt

Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark 2 is in the works, but which horrifying tales will be included in the sequel? Here’s each story that it could adapt.

Though his most recent project,theDraculaadaptationThe Last Voyage of the Demeter, failed to garner the same level of acclaim as his prior genre works, it did see praise from Stephen King and Guillermo del Toro, from whom Øvredal got the blessing to make after he departed the project. While it’s still unclear what the timeline will be forBendy and the Ink Machine’s filming,it does seem likely that the movie will be Øvredal’s next project at the helm. However, without a screenwriter announced as of yet, the pieces could fall into place for him to make something else first.

Bendy and the Dark Revival Audrey Hallway

Our Take On Øvredal Making Bendy & The Ink Machine

The Horror Video Game Genre Is Getting A Big Push On Screens

Interestingly, theBendy and the Ink Machinemovie’s progress is just one of multiple horror game adaptations that are in the works. In addition to the recent filming wrap oftheUntil Dawnmovie,this week also brought word that bothHouse of the DeadandOutlastwere getting film adaptations, the former of which is being written and directed byResident Evilalum Paul W.S. Anderson. TheSilent Hillfranchise is also about to return withReturn to Silent Hill, which hails from the first movie’s director, Christophe Gans, whilePoppy’s Playtime,Dead by Daylightand more are coming.

With Sonic the Hedgehog and Mortal Kombat receiving sequels, video game movies are getting better. However, there are other options that can work too.

While I’m broadly excited about the push to adapt such a range of horror games for the big screen, Øvredal’s attachment toBendy and the Ink Machineproves to be one of the more intriguing ones. The original game has an interesting mix of Lovecraftian horror and classic cartoon stylings, and I think if Øvredal brings the same authentic approach to adapting the game’s creatures as he did withScary Stories to Tell in the Dark, the movie is sure to be a standout hit.

Red Dead Redemption’s John Marston, a long-haired cowboy with a rifle slung over his right shoulder, stands in the middle of a dirt road in a desert town.

Source:Bendy/Twitter

Bendy and the Ink Machine

Bendy and the Ink Machine is a movie adaptation of the 2017 video game of the same name. Radar Pictures are working on the film alongside Joey Drew Studios.

Bendy and the Ink Machine Video Game Poster