The Dead by Daylight live-action movie has now found its director in Thordur Palsson.
Back in 2023, it was disclosed that Blumhouse — the horror-focused studio responsible for titles such as Paranormal Activity, Sinister, Insidious, and Get Out — was among a group of companies turning video games into theatrical films, with Dead by Daylight being adapted into a movie.
This weekend, as part of the broadcast celebrating Dead by Daylight’s 10th anniversary, the news has been confirmed: Thordur Palsson will direct the project. The Icelandic filmmaker is known for The Valhalla Murders, an eight-part crime drama series that aired on Netflix, and he has also helmed the folk horror film The Damned.
Palsson was joined by Blumhouse founder Jason Blum and producer Stephen Mulrooney (who also works with the Dead by Daylight studio, Behaviour) as they announced the appointment. Palsson shared that his first encounter with Dead by Daylight happened during the COVID-19 period, when a housemate introduced him to the game. He said he could immediately feel the “unease” coming through the screen and praised its “cinematic” character. He has since become a dedicated player and is eager to bring Dead by Daylight to the big screen.
“For me, the main objective is to capture what it’s like to play Dead by Daylight,” Palsson explained during the broadcast. “I want to reproduce that sensation of looking over your shoulder. My goal is to bring across the dread, the pressure, and the panic of what’s moving in The Fog. I truly love horror that stays with you even after the story ends — and that’s the cinematic experience we’re aiming to share with you in theaters.”
Blum also noted that the Dead by Daylight film is being made with game fans in mind. “If anyone else enjoys it, that’s great. Still, we’re building it for you,” he told viewers. “We hope this begins a whole line of more stories to come.” On the release schedule, Blum said the process may have taken longer than expected, but things are now “about to pick up,” with filming set to begin in 2027. The movie will also feature several of the game’s well-known locations, including The MacMillan Estate and Greenville.
The Dead by Daylight film is being developed together with Behaviour Interactive and Atomic Monster (the production company headed by celebrated horror director James Wan). The script is being written by David Leslie Johnston-McGoldrick and Alexandre Aja. Johnston-McGoldrick previously worked with Atomic Monster’s James Wan on The Conjuring series, while Aja served as both director and writer for films including The Hills Have Eyes and Crawl.
Since the game launched in 2016, it has welcomed multiple crossovers from movies and television, including a chapter built around Stranger Things and the chance to play as the famous actor Nicolas Cage (who managed to stage his own demise). Looking ahead, Art the Clown from Terrifier is expected to join Dead by Daylight as part of a new chapter arriving in November.