Shudder announced live from San Diego Comic-Con that they’ve acquired The Mortuary Assistant, the highly anticipated feature film adaptation of the best-selling horror video game from creator Brian Clarke.
This chilling movie is directed by Jeremiah Kipp (Slapface). Tracee Beebe and Clarke co-write it: Willa Holland (Arrow) and Emmy Award Nominee Paul Sparks (Boardwalk Empire) star. Shudder plans to unleash The Mortuary Assistant in 2026.
What’s the Story?
In The Mortuary Assistant, you’ll follow Rebecca Owens (Willa Holland), a newly certified mortician. She takes on a night shift job at the River Field Mortuary, where she is tasked with embalming bodies alone. But, of course, something seriously sinister is lurking there. Rebecca finds herself battling demonic entities. She also uncovers the dark secrets of her mysterious mentor (Paul Sparks), and confronts her own buried traumas. She’ll have to survive the night and, more importantly, stop her body from becoming a vessel for possession!
First Look Revealed at Comic-Con
Alongside the exciting acquisition announcement at San Diego Comic-Con’s “The Bold Voice Of Contemporary Horror” panel, Shudder also unveiled a first-look image from the film. It features Willa Holland as Rebecca Owens, the game’s iconic protagonist. Attendees also got an exclusive in-room clip, offering an unsettling glimpse of Rebecca preparing to embalm a body as the mortuary lights flicker. This creepy sequence faithfully brings key elements from the game to life, including the gurney, clipboard, and the letting strip.
Director Jeremiah Kipp shared his excitement, stating, “When Shudder indicated the clip from our film they wanted to share at Comic-Con, I was absolutely thrilled. The sequence captured everything I loved about Brian Clarke’s game: the middle of the night strangeness, its elegant minimalism, the ratcheting sense of anticipatory violence, the terror lurking around the corners – and most of all the resourcefulness and vulnerability of Rebecca Owens, played so thoughtfully by Willa Holland.”
Brian Clarke, the game’s creator, added, “It’s been a long and unbelievable road with THE MORTUARY ASSISTANT. I never dreamed something I poured two years of my life into alone in a tiny home office could ever grow into an experience like this.” He expressed his gratitude to Epic Pictures, DreadXP, and Shudder for believing in his vision.
From Viral Game Sensation to Feature Film
The original Mortuary Assistant game launched in 2022 on PC and quickly became a viral sensation and cult favorite. Its popularity led to releases on Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch. The film promises to expand on the game’s world and mythology. It will dive even deeper into the lore of the demonic entities haunting River Fields.
The Mortuary Assistant movie is produced by Patrick Ewald’s Epic Pictures through its horror outfit, Dread, and its video game division, DreadXP, alongside Cole Payne’s Traverse Media. Adam Koehler and Emily Gotto handled the deal for Shudder, while Patrick Ewald handled it for Epic Pictures.
Are you ready to face the night shift at River Field Mortuary?
