Sony Pictures’ Screen Gems to adapt Mouthwashing into feature film

Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Screen Gems division acquired the feature-film rights to Mouthwashing on Oct. 29, 2026. The rights came from Wrong Organ, the Swedish developer, and publisher Critical Reflex. The Hollywood Reporter broke the news of the rights acquisition, and Sony is moving forward because Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil performed well commercially. Several entertainment outlets reported on the announcement across October 29 and 30, 2026.

Karyn Kusama will direct the feature for Sony Pictures’ Screen Gems. Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay are handling the screenplay. Wrong Organ confirmed the team in an Oct. 29, 2026 post. Kusama’s credits include Jennifer’s Body, The Invitation and Destroyer, along with television work on Yellowjackets, The Terror and Dead Ringers.

It marks her first movie since Destroyer in 2018. Her most recent genre film before this was The Invitation in 2015. Kusama has previously made The Invitation and Destroyer with Manfredi and Hay. Hay is married to Kusama, according to Rock Paper Shotgun.

Scott Derrickson will produce the film. The Crooked Highway banner of C. Robert Cargill and Vince Cheng will also produce under a Screen Gems deal, according to The Playlist and FandomWire.

Derrickson has directed Sinister and Doctor Strange, as well as The Black Phone. Crooked Highway is known for The Black Phone series and already holds a production agreement with Screen Gems. Rock Paper Shotgun’s author disliked Doctor Strange. The author called the movie a wet fart sound.

Mouthwashing is a first-person deep-space survival game. It follows five crew members stranded aboard the freighter Tulpar after the ship crashes into an asteroid. Paranoia and isolation divide the crew as supplies run low, turning them against one another. The game looks at responsibility, denial and abuse of power.

The PC version launched in 2024. Console versions for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch arrived Oct. 29, 2026. Xbox Game Pass, Xbox on PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S also received the game that day.

The console release coincided with the movie announcement. It also put the game on Xbox Game Pass.

The developers say PC sales exceed 500,000 copies, a figure Eurogamer placed as of February 2025. The Playlist reports over one million units sold without specifying platform. On Metacritic, the game holds an 88 Metascore. Steam reviews for the game are 95% Overwhelmingly Positive.

The Horror Game Awards gave it Best Narrative and Players’ Choice honors. The New York Game Awards named it Best Hidden Gem. Critical Reflex publishes the Swedish title developed by Wrong Organ. Metacritic and Steam reviews helped position Mouthwashing among the top indie horror games of 2024.

Silent Hill 2 scored 86 on Metacritic. Its Steam user reviews are 95% Very Positive.

The Playlist says viewers should not expect the movie in theaters before 2028. No release date or cast list has been confirmed. Plot details are also unknown. Eurogamer reports no word on casting or how closely the story follows the game.

Engadget says Sony wants to repeat the success of the Resident Evil film tied to Capcom’s survival horror series. Zach Cregger directed that movie, and Engadget describes it as both a critical hit and a financial success.

Eurogamer compares the project to the Iron Lung movie from Markiplier Studios. That film brought in $21m globally soon after its premiere. Iron Lung adapts an indie horror game for film. Mark Fischbach, known online as Markiplier, created it through Markiplier Studios.

Rock Paper Shotgun’s author called the live-action adaptation unnecessary. The author expects a poor reaction from the game’s intense fandom. The author said Mouthwashing deals with themes of sexual assault. The author also welcomed a woman directing the film.

The author described the game as a walking sim, a game focused on exploration and narrative rather than complex mechanics. It has minimal interactivity and relies on first-person perspective. The author worries fans favor memes over reckoning and treat the game’s themes as a suggestion.

Critical Reflex posted “YES, MOUTHWASHING MOVIE IS REALLY HAPPENING SOONTM” on Oct. 29, 2026 at 8:17 PM. Wrong Organ posted “The rumors are true.” on Oct. 29, 2026, confirming the film and naming Matt Manfredi, Phil Hay and Karyn Kusama. The post included a link and mentioned the Tulpar journey continuing to hurt. Critical Reflex’s post came out the same day Rock Paper Shotgun published its article.