Sony Pictures has officially acquired the feature film rights to the video game Mouthwashing, marking a new adaptation project for the studio. The film will be produced by Screen Gems and directed by Karyn Kusama, known for her work on the cult classic Jennifer's Body. Scott Derrickson, director of Sinister and Doctor Strange, is also attached as a producer on the project.
The writing duties have been assigned to the team of Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay. Although the pair has collaborated on various projects in the past, including The Invitation and Destroyer alongside Kusama, they are also known for scripts associated with films such as Clash of the Titans, The Tuxedo, and R.I.P.D. The collaboration between Hay and Kusama is noted to be strengthened by their personal relationship.
The original game, Mouthwashing, was praised for its commentary on corporate exploitation of workers and its narrative technique of manipulating character perspectives to reveal story threads gradually. However, the announcement has generated apprehension among some observers due to the nature of the source material's themes, which include sexual assault, and the intense fandom response that often prioritized memes over serious engagement with those topics.
Critics have expressed skepticism regarding the necessity of a live-action adaptation for a title described as a walking simulator with minimal interactivity. Concerns remain about how effectively the game's first-person perspective and reliance on player interaction can be translated to a film format, especially given the history of video game adaptations.
Sources: Rock Paper Shotgun.