Sony Is Working On A Film Adaptation Of Viral Indie Horror Game Mouthwashing

The creative team behind the camera boasts heavy-hitting credentials within the horror genre. Matt Manfredi and Phil Hay, the screenwriters who previously collaborated with Kusama on The Invitation, are attached to pen the script. Meanwhile, Scott Derrickson—the filmmaker behind terrifying cinematic staples such as The Black Phone and Sinister—is set to produce the project. This powerhouse combination of indie horror game intellectual property and seasoned genre filmmakers underscores Sony’s ongoing strategy to back high-caliber creative teams for its video game adaptations, following the notable critical and box-office triumph of Zach Cregger’s cinematic take on Capcom’s iconic Resident Evil franchise.

While Resident Evil leans heavily into high-octane action, corporate conspiracies, and over-the-top survival horror set pieces, Mouthwashing offers an entirely different flavor of terror. The game is profoundly more grounded, psychological, and claustrophobic. It follows the deteriorating crew of a stranded spaceship as they slowly lose their grip on reality, their sanity fraying amid isolation, dwindling resources, and harrowing interpersonal conflict. Rather than relying on cheap, predictable jump scares, Mouthwashing builds its dread through suffocating heavy themes, deep-seated psychological horror, and profoundly surreal imagery. These unsettling narrative qualities make it a compelling and daring choice for a feature-length film adaptation, particularly in the hands of a director like Kusama, who specializes in exploring dark human behavior and psychological fracturing.

The announcement of the film adaptation comes at an opportune time for fans of the source material. While Sony Pictures Entertainment and the creative team have not yet established an official release date or production timeline for the movie, experiencing the original story has become significantly more accessible. Originally launched on PC in 2024 to widespread critical acclaim and viral attention, Mouthwashing has expanded its reach across the gaming ecosystem. Alongside its initial PC debut, the game is now readily available on a wide array of modern platforms, including the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and through the Xbox Game Pass subscription service, allowing both longtime players and curious future moviegoers to dive into the eerie depths of the doomed spaceship’s voyage ahead of the film’s eventual release.