Fans have been waiting for more news about the Dead By Daylight movie, and with the anniversary celebration, we finally have some. Behaviour Interactive kicked off its Dead by Daylight 10th anniversary celebrations on a massive scale, organizing a one-day fan event in Montréal that celebrated all things Dead by Daylight.
The event included a livestream with everything new coming to the defining asymmetrical horror game, and one big update is that the Dead by Daylight movie has found its director.
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While it has been known for some time that a Dead by Daylight movie was in development, the 10th Anniversary live-stream provided fans with a much-needed update: it has a director. This new name joins Alexander Aja and Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, a screenwriter and director known for their extensive work in the horror genre.
What do we know about the Dead by Daylight movie?
The first important element is that the Dead by Daylight movie is still happening! While it’s been a bit since we last heard about the film, the 10th anniversary celebration was well aware that players would be looking to learn more. Behaviour Interactive Executive Vice President Stephen Mulrooney provided fans with the highly anticipated update on the upcoming Dead by Daylight film, joined on stage by fellow producer Jason Blum of Blumhouse Atomic Monster.
The screenplay was recently completed by Alexandre Aja (a horror movie legend in his own right) and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, which meant it was time to find the perfect director. During the presentation, the trio unveiled Thordur Palsson (Þórður Pálsson) as the film’s director and invited him onstage to share his vision for adapting Dead by Daylight for audiences everywhere.
For those unfamiliar with Thordur Palsson’s work, he recently directed The Damned, an atmospheric isolationist period horror set in Iceland. If fans want a glimpse of what Palsson can do, they should check out The Damned and see how he uses the natural environment to maximize the scares.
The Damned was part of the draw in bringing Palsson into the Fog cinematically. As Jason Blum shared, they needed someone who could capture the atmosphere that Dead by Daylight encompasses, with The Damned serving as the best display of Palsson’s capability to bring that to life:
“It was really a process we went through together. There were a lot of candidates who wanted to direct this movie, and I think both of us were really looking for someone whose work shared the same DNA as Dead by Daylight. Both of us really felt that in The Damned, even though they have nothing to do with one another, there’s a shared DNA and a shared feeling, that shared sense of dread that we both want to see in the movie, and so we picked our fearless leader.”
What ultimately sealed the deal was that Thordur Palsson had an intimate understanding of the material, and that passion convinced Blum and the team at Blumhouse Atomic Monster to bring him on to the project.
Thordur Palsson’s connection to Dead by Daylight
During the Dead by Daylight 10th Anniversary livestream, Thordur Palsson revealed his own experience playing the game. His introduction to Dead by Daylight happened during the pandemic, with his roommate’s constant perusal of The Fog eventually inspiring him to pick up the game himself.
“What surprised bout the game was how cinematic it was,” Palsson explained. “I was constantly waiting for something horrible to happen, and as a filmmaker, that really connected with me. There’s just something about the way that the game creates dread. It’s very unique, and that’s what drew me into [it].”
It’s not a surprise then that when Jason Blum started discussions with Palsson, the director came fully prepared, knowing his stuff. “He had a deep insight into the script that we had, as well as the game too,” Blum shared. “He genuinely knew the material. He didn’t just show up with a surface-level pitch. He put in the work, and that’s what told me that he was the right person.”
Dead by Daylight Production Information
- Director: Thordur Palsson
- Writer: Alexander Aja & Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick
- Production: A production between Behaviour Interactive, Blumhouse, and James Wan’s Atomic Monster, Jason Blum and James Wan serve as producers on the film.
- Locations: The MacMillan Estate will be one of the locations featured in the film.
- Characters: Fans can expect some recent fan favorites as well as original characters from the beginning when it all began.
- Production Shoot Start: Shooting will begin in 2027.
What is the Dead by Daylight movie release date?
The script has currently been completed; however, there is no more production information at this time, and no release date for the film as of this writing.
Dead by Daylight is available now on PC, PlayStation 4|5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X|S.
