Summary
- “The Gorge” is an action sci-fi film with horror elements.
- Director Scott Derrickson was inspired by some specific horror games while filming The Gorge.
- Derrickson, known for horror films, was previously attached to adapt Deus Ex for the screen.
Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller’s new movie The Gorge is an action science-fiction film based on an original idea, and director Scott Derrickson has revealed that some notable video games inspired him during the making of the movie.
The Gorge stars Taylor-Joy and Teller as two snipers who are assigned a mission to guard either side of a deep gorge, which holds mysterious and sinister secrets in its depths. The Apple TV+ film has received middling reviews so far, gaining 60% on Rotten Tomatoes, but has remained in the Fresh range. The Gorge’s director, Derrickson, is known for bringing the first of Marvel’s Doctor Strange movies to the screen and also directed the 2021 horror film The Black Phone.
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Two Horror Games Inspired ‘The Gorge’
The Gorge mixes science fiction, mystery, action, and even romance, but it also has elements of horror which is why Derrickson’s video game inspirations may make the film an even more enticing watch for fans. In an interview with GamesRadar, Derrickson agreed to the suggestion that The Gorge shares similarities with Until Dawn and Silent Hill. “I love those games, and I do think that gaming has sort of set the bar for gunplay action, especially if you’re really with a single character or two characters, you kind of can’t beat it,” he said. The director added that the challenge came in “not letting it fall into just the straight, chaotic stimulus of gaming-type action.” and to try and “really keep the romance alive.”
I love those games, and I do think that gaming has sort of set the bar for gunplay action.
Derrickson is a known horror buff, having directed not only The Black Phone but also Deliver Us From Evil, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, and 2012’s Sinister (which is often considered one of the all-time scariest movies). So it makes sense that the director would have some familiarity with Until Dawn and Silent Hill, as two of the most pivotal games in the horror genre. Derrickson was also once attached to adapt a video game himself. He was a part of the planned film adaptation of Ion Storm’s cyberpunk dystopian video game Deus Ex, but ultimately dropped out due to commitments to Doctor Strange. Derrickson has yet to be attached to another video game adaptation project, but given the slew that is coming out of Hollywood these days, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find one should the director want to give it another shot.
That being said, Derrickson’s two inspirations for The Gorge already have their respective screen versions in the works. Until Dawn has been made into a time loop horror film set for release this April. Silent Hill has had multiple adaptations, including a 2006 film directed by Christopher Gans, a sequel titled Silent Hill: Revelation, and a third film, Return to Silent Hill, that has been filmed but not released.
The Gorge is available to watch on Apple TV+.
The Gorge
- Release Date
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February 28, 2025
- Runtime
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127 Minutes
- Director
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Scott Derrickson