20th Century Studios’ Live-Action ’99 Nights in the Forest’ Secures Horror Icon

Video game adaptations are increasingly becoming a reliable source for new franchises in Hollywood, with the latest project emerging from an unexpected platform: Roblox. This massive online platform has produced some of the most-played games globally, and studios are recognizing the vast and dedicated audiences that come with them.

In April, 20th Century Studios made a significant move by acquiring the theatrical film rights to ’99 Nights in the Forest,’ a popular action-survival game developed by New Zealand’s Grandma’s Favourite Games. This marked the first time the Disney-owned division has ventured into a feature adaptation of a video game, indicating strong confidence in the project’s potential.

That confidence has received a notable boost. The studio has enlisted Josh Cooley, the Academy Award-nominated writer of ‘Inside Out’ and director of ‘Transformers One,’ to write the live-action script. Additionally, horror legend Sam Raimi has joined as a producer alongside his frequent collaborator Rob Tapert.

’99 Nights in the Forest’ challenges players to survive 99 nights in a haunted forest while trying to rescue four lost children and fend off the terrifying creatures that inhabit the woods. Although the game is set to launch in 2025, it has already gained immense popularity, ranking as the seventh-most-played title on Roblox with nearly 26 billion lifetime visits and a 90.6% player rating, according to 20th Century Studios.

This level of engagement provides the film adaptation with a substantial built-in audience even before production begins. The game’s developers, Alec Kieft, Matthew Hufton, and Cameron Angland, are serving as executive producers, along with Romel Adam, known for his work on ‘Evil Dead Rise,’ and Jose Cañas from ‘Play Dead.’

Raimi’s involvement is particularly fitting, given his extensive background in horror storytelling. As the director of the original ‘Evil Dead’ trilogy, he has spent decades crafting narratives about ordinary individuals trapped in terrifying supernatural environments, making him an ideal fit for a project centered on surviving in a cursed forest.

Cooley brings a different expertise to the table, having primarily worked in animation before transitioning to live-action filmmaking. Sources indicate that 20th Century met with several writers over the summer before selecting Cooley’s vision for the adaptation, although specific plot details about his approach remain undisclosed.

While 20th Century has previously produced video game adaptations like ‘Hitman’ and ‘Assassin’s Creed’ during its time under Fox, this marks its first venture into this genre under Disney and its first adaptation of a Roblox title. Disney’s live-action and 20th Century Studios president David Greenbaum has described the deal as an opportunity to build upon a foundation of millions of existing players worldwide, aiming to expand that audience even further.

This reflects a broader industry trend, as major studios increasingly look to Roblox’s vast player base as a promising source for future franchises, following the successful strategies used in adapting more traditional console and mobile games in recent years.

With Cooley now attached to write the screenplay and Raimi’s horror expertise supporting the project as a producer, ’99 Nights in the Forest’ has quickly assembled a promising creative team. No director or cast has been announced yet, and it remains uncertain how close the project is to entering production.

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