Isabela Merced to Star in 'House of the Dead' Video Game Adaptation

Isabela Merced, who recently played Hawkgirl in James Gunn's Superman and appears in Peacemaker, is set to lead a film adaptation of The House of the Dead. Merced has shown a range in genre work, from a devastating turn in HBO's The Last of Us to facing Xenomorphs in Alien: Romulus, and her casting raises the possibility she could front a new horror franchise.

The project aims to translate the fast-paced, on-rails shooter experience to the screen, highlighting the games' trademark of running, aggressive zombies. The film is described as an innovative take on the source material, reportedly designed to play out in real time.

A short synopsis says the story follows agents trying to stop a mutant outbreak caused by a sinister organization; they must rescue a woman's father and confront a mastermind whose intelligence endures in a creature called The Wheel of Fate. Paul W.S. Anderson will write and direct, bringing a history of video game-inspired films such as Mortal Kombat, Monster Hunter, and the Resident Evil franchise.