Indie horror game Poppy Playtime is headed to the big screen. Legendary has won the rights to make a live-action feature film adaptation of the game, beating out several studios in competing to bring the killer toys to life.
Legendary will produce the film with game developer Mob Entertainment and Angry Films’ Don Murphy and Susan Montford (Faces of Death). The first-person game sees players taking on the role of a former employee of a faded toy brand Playtime Co. After receiving a cryptic letter, the player returns to the abandoned factory, where they encounter monstrous living toys like Huggy Wuggy, Mommy Long Legs, and CatNap. Players have to solve puzzles and use gadgets called GrabPacks to make it out alive.
The game, which launched in 2021, quickly gained a fandom on Steam, releasing three chapters with a fourth on the way. Poppy Playtime is playable on Microsoft Windows, Android, iOS, Playstations 4 and 5, and Nintendo Switch.
The competition over the rights to Poppy Playtime is no surprise, given the recent success of video game adaptations. Producers are likely hoping that Poppy Playtime will repeat the success of Five Nights at Freddy’s, which grossed $291 million worldwide on a $20 million budget. A sequel is already in the works from Blumhouse.
Video game adaptations have come a long way from their disastrous ’90s origins. Video game series have gone mainstream with successes like Fallout and The Last of Us. And with franchises like Sonic the Hedgehog and The Super Mario Bros. Movie earning millions of dollars, we may be enjoying the golden age of video game adaptations.
No cast, director, screenwriter, or release date has been announced for Poppy Playtime, but we’ll keep you updated as we learn more.
(featured image: Mob Entertainment)
