Latest news with #DanielKnight
Perth Now
6 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Phasmophobia is getting a horror movie adaptation from Blumhouse
Blumhouse are working on a film adaptation of 'Phasmophobia'. The 2020 multiplayer horror survival game - which was developed and published by independent studio Kinetic Games - has become a huge hit with over 23 million sales around the world, and now the iconic film studio is giving the paranormal title the big screen treatment. The movie version will be produced by Blumhouse and Atomic Monster alongside Kinetic Games. Daniel Knight - director of Kinetic Games and 'Phasmophobia' lead developer - said in a statement: "We're thrilled to officially announce that a 'Phasmophobia' film adaption is in development — it's a big moment for the whole Kinetic team, and the start of something really exciting. 'We never could've imagined the incredible heights this game would reach when it launched five years ago, and we're so thankful to our amazing community for the lasting impact 'Phasmophobia' has had in the gaming space and beyond. "Working with Blumhouse and Atomic Monster marks an incredible new chapter for the game, and we can't wait to share more as the project develops.' There is currently no release date, plot details or casting information available for the project, which appears to be in its early stages. The 'Phasmorphia' game is a played in the first-person, with gamers either working alone or in a group to figure out what type of ghost is haunting a certain location. In the game, most of the ghosts are based on various creatures or entities from different religions and cultures, from poltergeists and the Japanese Obake to Irish folklore's Banshee. There is no real central narrative - the single player mode didn't come until a year after the original launch - which means the team behind the movie will be able to explore different ways of honouring the source material. The news was initially revealed during Blumhouse's Business of Fear event this week, as CEO and founder Jason Blum was joined by President Abhijay Prakash, Atomic Monster CEO and founder James Wan, and horror analyst and author Stephen Follows. The group discussed how horror has expanded more recently, and pointed to the way certain subgenres can indulge its audience's diverse tastes. Last summer, Blumhouse launched a survey looking to put 100 major horor films from the past five decades into various subgenres. The paranormal subgenre was found to be one of 24 thriving themes, along with the likes of slashers, survival films, and psychological thrillers.
Ottawa Citizen
6 days ago
- Health
- Ottawa Citizen
ALS took his father. Now this Carleton researcher is fighting back
It was a conversation Daniel Knight will not forget. The Carleton University researcher's father had recently been diagnosed with ALS. What Knight said seems prescient now. Article content 'I just told him that one day I would be part of the solution. He said thank you. We really didn't need to say anything else.' Article content Article content Knight's sixty-year-old father, John, a 'self-proclaimed nerd' who loved everything to do with space and aviation, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of the neurological condition amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in 2019. He died just six months later, one of three siblings in his family taken by the devastating disease. Article content Article content At the time, Knight was a 19-year-old undergrad studying chemistry at Carleton University with no concrete plans for his future. He admits he didn't really know how he could be part of a solution to ALS, but felt strongly that he had to do something to help people with the disease that had been so prevalent in his father's family. Article content Article content 'To be honest, I didn't have a clue. I just knew I couldn't sit back. The only thing on my mind was volunteering or fundraising.' Article content ALS is a neurological condition that affects motor neurons — the wires that connect the brain to the muscles. Approximately 4,000 Canadians are affected. The majority will survive between two and five years after being diagnosed. Some, like John Knight, survive for less than a year. Others live beyond five years. Article content His father's illness and the family history of the disease has driven Knight to be one of the researchers working to make a difference for ALS patients. Article content Article content Article content Today, the 25 year old from Navan is working on his PhD in chemistry at Carleton and leading groundbreaking scientific research that is part of a wave of work raising hopes of potential new treatments for ALS. Article content Article content The support of one of his professors during his father's illness and her subsequent mentorship has helped shape Knight's research. Article content Knight was in his second year studying chemistry when his father became ill. He had to navigate his studies while trying to spend time with his father. Article content Among his courses at the time was one taught by Maria DeRosa, a chemistry professor and researcher who is now Dean of Science at Carleton. Her overwhelming support and sympathy, along with her approach to teaching and to students, made Knight think she was someone he would like to work with to continue his studies. Article content He became interested in her work, which includes the use of aptamers. The synthetically produced single-stranded DNA molecules can selectively bind to any target they are designed to bind to, including specific proteins. That makes them an important research tool. Aptamers have a long list of potential applications — including in healthcare.
