Psychological thriller Martha is Dead latest video game to get film adaptation treatment
Twin it to win it.
Martha is Dead, the psychological thriller set in Tuscany during the second world war, is being made into a film.
The upcoming feature is being made in collaboration with the game's developer LKA, Wired Productions and Studios Extraordinaires from Sweden. It is currently in "active development".
Martha is Dead writer and designer Luca Dalcò called the forthcoming adaptation a "dream come true".
"Every element of Martha Is Dead was created with extraordinary precision and care. The narrative's complexity was meticulously planned, visualised, and even shaped with a cinematic quality in mind," Dalcò said.
Wired Productions' managing director Leo Zullo added that the game's setting and narrative made Martha is Dead the "perfect candidate" for adapting into a film. "We're thrilled to join forces with Studios Extraordinaires to create a landmark cinematic experience, merging the artistry of gaming and filmmaking in an unprecedented way," Zullo said.
André Hedetoft and Andreas Troedsson from the Swedish production company will act as Martha is Dead's co-directors. Hedetoft will also write the film's script, while Troedsson will serve as the cinematographer.
"Martha Is Dead is a narrative masterpiece, expertly weaving a spellbinding murder mystery from a young woman's perspective in a way that's never been done before," the co-directors said in a joint statement. "We're eager to bring this haunting tale to life, offering both fans and newcomers a cinematic tour-de-force, while staying true to the game's soul-stirring essence."
Martha is Dead (the game) casts players as Giulia, a young woman that finds herself wrapped up in mystery following the death of her twin sister, the titular Martha.
In Eurogamer's own Martha is Dead review, Vikki Blake said the game had a "good premise" and generally it started off well. In fact, she called the begining of the game "gripping". However, despite this strong start, Vikki felt Martha is Dead was ultimately undermined by "bad writing, and grossly overused clichés of mental ill-health" in the second half.
"The game I expected to play - the game about the haunting death of our twin sister and an even more mysterious fairytale - kicked off spectacularly... What a shame it is, then, that such a promising and atmospheric horror, lofty in scope and ambition, dissolves into such inelegant and incoherent chaos that will likely be remembered for all the wrong reasons," she wrote in her 2022 review.