We Happy Few to become a movie

We Happy Few is a delightfully disturbing indie game currently available on early access for Windows and Xbox One.  The game is set in an alternate post-World War II/1960s era where all residents of an English town are in a drug-induced psychosis to hide a terrible secret.

Recently, Checkpoint detailed the newest content update, Maidenholm, although a release date for the full game has not yet been announced.

While we wait patiently, our appetites are now whetted further, with Gold Circle Films (not to be confused with tinned pineapple) and dj2 Entertainment announcing that a movie adaptation is in the works.

The movie will be produced by Paul Brooks (Gold Circle Films), Dmitri M. Johnson and Dan Jevons (dj2 Entertainment).

“Dmitri, Stephan and Dan approached us enthusiastically and with really solid ideas about how to adapt our game to film, while retaining its menace, dark humor, and central themes. We’re gratified at how they and Gold Circle have taken to the project.” said Guillaume Provost (Head Game Developer, Compulsion Games).

Co-producer Johnson states “Our commitment is to make a movie that remains true to and expands on its great source material”.  Brooks adds “As a Brit and a fan of shows like The Prisoner, the game’s social satire resonated with me. I wanted this project immediately and am truly pleased a relationship with dj2 and their Business Affairs exec, Howard Bliss, helped make that possible.”

Compulsion Games also took to twitter to clarify a few things:

Not an April’s Fools folks. Also these things take years, you will see the game way before the movie comes out.

— Compulsion Games (@CompulsionGames) April 1, 2017

And it may be a fair wait considering writers are still being sourced for the script.  Let’s just hope We Happy Few escapes the curse of truly awful video game movie adaptations as its original and compelling storyline would make for interesting viewing.