Return To Silent Hill Director, Christophe Gans, On The Responsibility And Future Of The Silent Hill Films

Director Christophe Gans is once again exploring the foggy streets of the Silent Hill franchise. Twenty years after his first adaptation, he has returned to direct "Return to Silent Hill," a film based on the acclaimed 2001 video game "Silent Hill 2."

In a recent interview with Variety, Gans discussed the immense pressure and unique challenges that come with adapting such a beloved horror series for the screen. The new story follows James, played by Jeremy Irvine, as he goes back to the desolate town to find the love of his life, Mary, portrayed by Hannah Emily Anderson, following a mysterious apocalyptic event.

Gans acknowledged the difficult path of his first film from 2006, which critics initially disliked. He has been pleased, however, to see his reputation improve over the last two decades. He feels he is now facing a "2.0 generation of ‘Silent Hill’ lovers" and that the ultimate test for any film is the test of time. This new audience and his enduring passion for the source material fueled his return. He considers the video game series to be more than just entertainment.

"I’m not looking at ‘Silent Hill’ only as a great video game. I’m looking at it as a piece of modern art. It has something really edgy and experimental."

— Christophe Gans

That artistic appreciation comes with a heavy sense of duty, one made heavier by the series' passionate fanbase. The director revealed the intensity of the fan reaction when he first took on the project years ago, a pressure that has not subsided with his second effort.

"I remember when I did the first film, I received plenty of death threats. People were saying, ‘If you mess up this one, we are going to find you.’ So I came onto the first film with great responsibility, and certainly even more with the second one. At the same time, it was important for me to imagine a movie that people who are not playing games can be interested in."

— Christophe Gans

Despite the ambitious scope of the film, which involved 67 sets and a 50-day shoot, the production operated on a modest budget of $23 million. Gans explained that he spent a full year on design work and storyboarding to ensure he was prepared. He noted that it was sometimes difficult to make non-gamers on the crew understand the importance of certain details he felt were essential for the fans. Despite the challenges, Gans hopes to continue working within the universe he admires. He stated that if he has the opportunity, he will come back to adapt another chapter.

"Return to Silent Hill" is part of a larger resurgence for the Konami property, but it is struggling to win over critics. As of late January, the film holds a score of 31 on Metacritic and 15 on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the worst-reviewed films of the year so far on both platforms. For comparison, the previously panned sequel " Silent Hill: Revelation " has a Metacritic score of 16.

Read also, for those interested in a more interactive experience, VRified Games is currently developing a VR mod for the original 1999 "Silent Hill." The project is not a remake but an experimental adaptation, converting the PlayStation classic into a first-person stereoscopic 3D experience with updated controls and head-tracking.